Sleeping Beauty
by Nova-Janna
Summary: It's seventh or six year, and a select group of students are putting on a production of Sleeping Beauty. The two most unlikely people get the leads, and a little more than that...DM.HG.BZ triangle now Complete
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling's characters. And the lines from the play are from Walt Disney's script of Sleeping Beauty.

A/N: Uh, hope you like it. If you want more to it, tell me. Now, go read!

"Hermione, only you could be excited about something like this," Ron said.

Hermione grinned up at him. "That's where you're wrong, Ronniekins," she said teasingly, "Most of the female population of Hogwarts is thrilled."

"Yeah, but, how many guys are going to try out?" Asked Harry.

"I think the teachers will just have to choose a guy to play the prince. There'll be loads of girls auditioning though, so they'll have their work cut out for them."

"I just didn't think you'd be all that excited," Harry replied, holding the door open for her.

"Well, I've always wanted to act. But if I don't get a part, I wouldn't mind designing costumes."

Harry and Ron looked at each other with stunned expressions on their faces. "What have you done with Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Yeah," said Ron, quickly picking up the joke, "Which closet is she hidden in?"

Hermione laughed. "You will help me with my audition piece, won't you?" Both boys nodded. "Good. We're going to be late for Potions."

Hermione didn't really mind the boys teasing. She' never really told anyone she liked acting, but this really was her chance. She wasn't so sure about having a kissing scene in the play, though. It seemed inappropriate and embarrassing.

Hopefully, I won't get the part of Aurora, she thought as she took notes on a sleeping draught. Maybe just one of the fairies. But it wouldn't suit me to be the witch. She glanced around the room, eyes resting on a very bored looking Draco Malfoy. Some people would disagree with me though, she thought with a small smile.

Snape glared at each Gryffindor before dismissing them, calling Draco to his desk. Hermione, being curious, took a little longer packing up her books.

"Draco, I think you'd make a very good Prince for the play," Snape said, not looking at all happy about it. "It was the Headmaster's idea. Each head of house was to choose two students who they thought would be best for the leads. You will be trying out on Thursday." Snape swept out of the room, leaving a now very stunned Draco Malfoy gaping after him.

Hermione glanced at him, and amused look on her face. If all the girls in their year hadn't wanted to try out before, they would as soon as they got wind that Malfoy was auditioning for the lead. She finished packing her books into her bag and checked her watch. She had a free period, since she'd helped Hagrid with his creatures that morning.

She was still smiling when she left the room, thinking about the play. She didn't feel Malfoy watching her.

"Arrogant little mudblood bitch," he swore under his breath, then turned his attention to more pressing matters. Snape really had something coming to him if he though Draco Malfoy would audition for the lead in a muggle play. Besides, wouldn't it be awful to be stuck with some Hufflepuff across from in, pursing her lips or something ridiculous like that.

Thursday was only two days away. He didn't have to bother learning his lines; if Snape could twist things enough he would get the lead. Otherwise, he didn't want it at all.

He glared at everyone he passed for the rest of the day, foul mood still upon him. But, just for fun, he glanced at the script he got from the common room.

**Narrator: **

**In a far away land, long ago, lived a king and his fair queen. Many years had they longed for a child and finally their wish was granted. A daughter was born, and they called her Aurora. Yes, they named her after the dawn for she filled their lives with sunshine. Then a great holiday was proclaimed throughout the kingdom, so that all of high or low estate might pay homage to the infant princess. And our story begins on that most joyful day.**

Skip ahead…..

**Phillip and the fairies get inside the castle and up to the tower, where Aurora lies on her bed. Phillip slowly walks towards her and gives her a faint kiss on the lips. Aurora awakens, sees Phillip and begins to smile**

What a wonderful kissing scene, he thought sarcastically. If I do get the lead, I'll have to liven it up a bit. He smirked, and continued reading. He didn't stop until he knew the story almost word for word.

Hermione read over her script again and again, finding she liked the story more every time. As far as she knew, most of the girls had heard about Malfoy; that was why everyone was so quiet. Every girl was reading her copy, learning the lines, dreaming about Malfoy's amazing looks. Not that Hermione was attracted to those amazing looks. Not that his looks were amazing….

Professor McGonagall came through the portrait hole, and stopped short. "It's quiet."

Hermione smiled, holding up her script. McGonagall nodded and came over to her Hermione's spot by the fire.

"I've been asked to choose two students from my house who I think would be best for the leads. I have chosen you and Mr. Potter."

"Thank you. Should I tell Harry?"

"Yes, that would save me a lot of trouble," McGonagall replied, waving her hand at the window. Hermione grinned. The boys were out practicing Quidditch, and they both knew the boys wouldn't come down for anyone except Hermione. Especially if she was there to tell them it was dinner time.

She put her script in her back and strode through the halls. Harry was in for a surprise.

A/N: Chapter 1, finis! That's French for finished. Though, if it were in the infinitive….Oh, never mind. Tell me what you think! I know it's a little slow, but I'm sure you can all guess what's going to happen. If you can't, keep reading! I like the idea of a play, and Sleeping Beauty seemed best since Romeo and Juliet is becoming overused. So, ya. Review and all that.


	2. Fun In the Snow

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling's characters. And the lines from the play are from Walt Disney's script of Sleeping Beauty. **

**A/N: OK, I got a few reviews, which is amazing to me. So I kept writing…..**

There was a very cliché feel about the common room that night. Hermione was sitting drinking a cup of tea while reading some book or another. Harry and Ron were animatedly discussing some new Quidditch play on the couch next to her, and a few other people were scattered around the room.

Outside, big snowflakes were falling, and Hermione kept glancing out to watch it fall. When she'd told Harry the news before, he'd been less than impressed, but had decided to go along with it, for Hermione's sake.

Hermione smiled at the thought. He was probably trying to impress Cho, or some other girl. Lately, Hermione had given up trying to figure out what was happening by way of Harry and Ron's love lives. If they needed advice, she was willing to listen.

Sighing, she closed her book. She was having a hard time concentrating, and decided to go for a walk in the snow, maybe even bring a thermos of tea for herself.

"I'm going for a walk," Hermione said to the boys as she got up. "Ron, help Harry with his lines, please." And then to Harry, "And yes, you do have to practice. Stop talking about Quidditch for just a few minutes, I beg of you."

Both boys gave her willing looks as she walked out of the common room. As soon as she was out of earshot, Harry started going over a new plan for the team.

But they were interrupted by Hermione's sing-song voice from the portrait. "Is that in the script?"

Draco strode hurriedly away from the common room. Pansy had entered a few moments before, assuring him that she'd be back in a few moments. And what an opportune few moments…..

He had found out long ago that the only way to get away from Pansy was to go outside. It was her most hated place, due to the fact that all sorts of horrible things could happen to your nails or hair. He smirked. Girls who were that artificial were just scary, and he was definitely getting sick of having Pansy hanging off his arm.

He pushed through the doors, and into a flurry of snow. It wasn't cold, and the wind wasn't blowing hard. Talk about the cliché winter night.

Draco had been memorizing his lines, much to the surprise of the other Slytherins. But he'd told them it wouldn't be good at all if he just dropped out and let Potter get the part. They, of course, readily agreed with him, and he had an excuse.

But really, what was the excuse for? Surely, he didn't really want to be in the fool play Dumbledore was putting on. Perhaps it was merely so he could show up the other houses, or just to make a mockery of it.

Yes, that was the reason. If he was chosen, he would cause as much trouble as possible.

Hermione rammed into someone, falling into the piles of snow already forming. She checked her thermos, her wand, and found that nothing other than her dignity was damaged.

Meanwhile, Draco was slowly picking himself up from the ground. He peered forward, trying to find out who he'd ran into. His vision cleared, and he corrected himself. Now he knew who'd run into him.

"Granger," He growled.

"Malfoy," she replied, with fake cheer. He scowled, and began to walk away. "I hear you're trying out for a part in the play. Wouldn't it be fun if we got to play the leading roles?" Hermione's voice was laden with sarcasm, but Draco couldn't help himself.

"Oh yes dearest. Then we could tell everyone about us." For an instant, Hermione looked shocked. Quickly though, she responded.

"Oh yes," she replied, moving forward and placing a hand on his chest. "It would be wonderful." She finished with a heavy sigh, laying her head against is shoulder.

He grinned down at her, and it was a long way down, because he was about a head taller than her. She was good, but he was better.

"If only," he said, using the same sad voice she'd used before as he wrapped his arms around her. "If only we could tell everyone. But you know we can't. We've discussed this."

Hermione only briefly stopped to consider how odd the situation was before continuing the little game. "But, honey, it's all I really want of Christmas…." She said, emphasizing a few words like a young child might talking about a pony.

Draco gave in to laughter, because he really couldn't hold it in anymore. She watched him, smiling, and then said "So, you think I'll get the part?"

He finally regained control. "That was priceless. I've got to hand it to you."

"You weren't that bad yourself," she replied, looking thoughtful. "But that was very odd."

"Very. Just don't ever run in to me again," he said, finally remembering who he was and who she was. He remembered it almost in the way someone would say thank you after a long pause, and apologize for forgetting their manners. "And don't believe for a second I'll be acting beside you up on that stage, mudblood." And with that, he stalked off.

Hermione frowned after him, but managed to say "Then I suppose you won't be trying out, Draco Malfoy. Because I will play the part of Aurora." Hermione took a sip of tea, and realized how corny she'd just sounded.

But it had been pretty funny…..

Hermione walked back up to the common, realizing how late she was. As she entered through the portrait hole, Parvati and Lavender practically jumped on her.

"What?" She asked, groggily.

"Who is he?" Lavender squealed.

"Tell us!" Parvati added, in the same high pitch.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Hermione stated calmly, truly perplexed.

"The boy!"

"Outside."

"Who you were with!"

"And then you got into a fight!"

"Right before you kissed!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, and started to say there was no boy, but Parvati cut in. "We couldn't see him really well because of the snow. But you really seemed to like him."

Hermione laughed, realizing they meant Malfoy.

Oh shit. They meant Malfoy.

**A/N: OK. That's that, and I hope the rehearsals will actually be in the next chapter. You never can tell……Originally, I was going to have eggnog as Hermione's drink of choice, but I wasn't sure how many of you knew what that was. Tell me if you know what eggnog is, OK? **


	3. Auditions

**Disclaimer: Not mine. At all. And the script I use is Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" script. Amazing what you can find on the net….**

Hermione ran through the halls. Partly because she was late, partly because she was excited. The auditions were finally being held, and she felt she was ready. The were holding the auditions on a mock stage in the Great Hall, and only the eight asked to come by their Head of House would be there.

She burst through the doors, thankful that she was only a few minutes late.

"Ah, Ms. Granger. So good of you to join us," Dumbledore's tone was blank, but she could tell he meant it lightly. "I hope you have all prepared. We thought that we could narrow it down a bit this way, and it was most certainly not mean to be a popularity contest. So, let us begin. We'll have each pair from each house work together on the scene you were supposed to have worked on, and then we'll mix you up a bit. All right?"

Everyone nodded. Hermione smiled at Harry. "Thanks for coming."

"Did I have a choice?" He replied.

"You'll have fun."

Hermione and Harry watched Hannah and Will, and both looked skeptic. They shared a glance; the pair was OK, but probably not good enough for the leads.

The Ravenclaws were better, but only by a little. Hermione didn't really think the girl suited the part look-wise either, with her jet black hair, so curly it had to be a perm.

Hermione was surprised to see Malfoy alone up on stage. Snape was visibly frowning. "Where's Ms. Parkinson?" He asked sharply.

Malfoy smirked. "She was…..Held up," the smirk wavered slightly.

Dumbledore sighed. "Very well. Ms. Granger, please play opposite Mr. Malfoy, and then you can audition with Mr. Potter." Hermione only looked slightly surprised. There were only three girls, and she was the only one who hadn't gone.

She stepped up onto the stage, surprised that she didn't feel nervous at all. She quickly began her lines, trying not to grin at finally getting a chance to act.

"Oh?" She said, feigning an innocent look. She spun around to see Malfoy, ahem, Phillip, and said again "Oh!"

She started to run away, but Malfoy caught her arm. "I'm awfully sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you." He looked like he was trying very hard to not smirk or say something else. The words seemed too kind for him, and she couldn't pretend he was anyone other than Malfoy. This was going to be very hard.

"Oh, it wasn't that. It's just that you're a, a…

"A stranger?" He replied softly, and Hermione was surprised by his tone. You're acting, she reminded herself, trying to keep pretending to be Aurora, a beautiful girl meeting her true love….

Hermione made a soft noise of agreement, remembering her part and trying not to laugh at the 'true love' part of her game of pretend.

"But we have met!" Malfoy came in, almost bursting with excitement. "Don't you remember?"

"We, we have?" she stuttered.

"Of course. You said so yourself. Once upon a dream…." The music started, and Hermione nearly stood in shock at Malfoy's singing voice.

"I know you  
I walked with you  
Once upon a dream  
I know you  
The gleam in your eyes  
Is so familiar a gleam"

Hermione came in, adding her voice to the soft melody.

"And I know it's true  
That visions are seldom all they seem  
But if I know you  
I know what you'll do  
You'll love me at once  
The way you did  
Once upon a dream"

They stopped singing, and Malfoy lay his arm over her shoulder. It was such an odd feeling, and she couldn't help remembering back to the other night. Quickly, though, the moment was over, and they hated each other again.

There was applause from the staff table, and many mutters. Hermione sat back down.

"You were wonderful, Mione. Really wonderful. You two worked really well together….Is there something I don't know about?" Hermione looked up in shock, but Harry was grinning. "Chill out."

Dumbledore stood up. "The official list will be posted tomorrow in the Great Hall. Check before breakfast!"

Harry shook his head, smiling. "They don't even need me to audition."

"It's a good thing, too," Hermione replied, as Harry looked at her questioningly. "You really would have made a horrible Prince Phillip. And it would have been weird to kiss my best friend."

"But kissing Malfoy is OK?"

"I'm trying not to think about that part."

Hermione knew she shouldn't have been worried. After all, she'd done well. She knew it. And she knew she had great chemistry with Malfoy…..ON STAGE! Just on stage.

She rushed anyways, and checked the list after wading through a sea of people.

CAST LIST FOR "SLEEPING BEAUTY"

Aurora/Briar Rose: Hermione Granger

Prince Phillip: Draco Malfoy

Flora: Parvati Patil

Fauna: Padma Patil

Merryweather: Lavender Brown

Malificent: Hannah Abbot

The list continued, but Hermione was too excited to care. The only problem was Malfoy, but she was willing to do practically anything to be onstage. She tried to find Malfoy, to congratulate him. She hated him, but she was going to have to put up with him. And then she heard a voice through all the people.

"She's only there to make me look good." Malfoy, no doubt about it.

Hermione burst through the crowd. "Are you sure of that?"

He smirked down at her. "Positive. Honestly Granger, as if you can really act."

"As if you could act without me beside you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"That you wouldn't be anything if I wasn't there guiding you along. Heaven, Malfoy, you can't even dance!" He was seething, and she was enjoying it.

"Oh yeah?" he asked, defiantly.

"Yeah.," she replied, sticking her chin out at him.

"Fine. Prove that I can't dance."

"No," he looked victorious for a second, but then Hermione continued. "You don't need me to prove that." She walked away, smiling to herself as the jeers directed at Malfoy faded away behind her.

It had been a long day for Hermione, and she was reading over her script. Again. But Hermione was surprised to have Parvati and Lavender burst into her room.

"It was Malfoy, wasn't it?" Lavender started.

"I mean, he's good looking, but a Slytherin?" Parvati added, sitting down on the end of Hermione's bed. Hermione reached for the glass of water on her bedside table. Her mouth had gone dry.

"Anyways," Lavender continued, shooting Parvati a pointed look. "He was the boy you were with outside in the snow, wasn't he?"

"That's why you two have such good chemistry."

'ON STAGE!' Hermione added to herself, grinning. She turned to face the girls, who were lying on her bed, ready for gossip.

"Yes," she said, with as straight a face as she could manage. "We've been sneaking around for ages now. I'm almost glad you found out." Lavender and Parvati grinned, and squealed some more.

"We'll be back for the details later!"

Hermione smiled. First, she was a pretty good actress. And second, Malfoy was going to be in for a very interesting surprise.

**A/N: WOO-HOO! Third chapter. Please review, and the can be somewhat mean, and they can be long. Advice, ideas, anything. I could use it. **


	4. First Rehearsal

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**A/N: I really like this story so far, don't you? I'm not sure where I'm going with it though…..**

The next two days passed quickly, and Hermione was the first to get to the Great Hall after dinner. Once everyone had gathered, they sat down to read through their scripts.

**Phillip: **

**Who are you, what's your name? **

**Briar Rose: **

**Hmm? Oh, my name. Why, it's, it's ... Oh no, no, I can't, I ... Goodbye! _runs off_ **

**Phillip: **

**But when will I see you again? **

**Briar Rose: **

**Oh never, never! **

**Phillip: **

**Never? **

**Briar Rose: **

**Well, maybe someday. **

**Phillip: **

**When, tomorrow? **

**Briar Rose: **

**Oh no, this evening. **

**Phillip: **

**Where? **

**Briar Rose: **

**At the cottage, in the glen. **

Malfoy changed his tone from that of a bored young man reading an equally boring script to that of a young man who was deeply in love. Hermione found herself blushing, and realized he was doing it to bother her.

Soon though, her voice changed too. An innocent young girl meeting a man for the first time…Everyone else in the group stared at the two in shock, but didn't notice the hated looks they were flinging at each other.

They finished the script to many mutters from the assembled cast, and Professor McGonagall got up to speak.

"We will now rehearse the scene used during the auditions. Please cue the music."

Hermione scrambled up, and waited for her cue before bursting into song. As she began to sing, Hannah changed her robes into a flowing blue dress made of light, silky material. As Hermione sang and danced, the other students experimented with her dress and the scenery around her. It was incredibly distracting.

Hermione and Malfoy managed through the dialogue, and even through the duet. As Malfoy placed his arm around her, Hermione became rigid. Suddenly, he planted his lips on hers. Hermione was too shocked to do anything. One wonders if she would have kissed back or pulled away.

Whatever the case, Malfoy was promptly slapped on the cheek as Hermione stormed out of the Great Hall, red dress flowing out behind her.

One of the students spoke up. "That isn't in the script, is it?"

The next morning, Hermione was awakened by her newest least favourite people; Lavender and Parvati.

"Why wouldn't you kiss him if you're dating?" Lavender asked, bouncing onto the bed.

"I told him I wanted to keep it professional while we were at practices," Hermione replied, quickly remembering her charade.

"But isn't there lots of kissing in the script?"

"No, just once, and that wasn't it."

"Oh…..Is he a good kisser?"

"PARVATI!"

"Sorry," she said, looking sheepish. Hermione faked a sigh.

"We wanted to keep it secret, but now that I've told you two…." The two shot each other guilty glances.

"We didn't really tell anyone."

"Will he be mad once he finds out?"

Hermione groaned, and peered at them through her fingers. "Very mad." She paused, looking thoughtful. "Does he HAVE to find out?" She asked, slyly.

"Well, we did ask some of the Slytherins for confirmation…..They said they had no idea."

Hermione groaned again. "They'll probably ask him. Oh dear, what am I going to do?"

"Go public," Lavender replied grimly.

"And fill us in on all the details," Parvati added.

**A/N: I actually liked this chapter, but it took me forever to get it where I wanted it to be. I must have started this five times. Please review.**


	5. Footsies

**A/N: I'm going to try to make my chapters a little longer, just so you know. I was looking over my chapters for all my stories and was thoroughly disgusted in myself. **

Hermione was early to breakfast. It was six in the morning, and it was a Saturday. But she needed time to brood, and meals were the easiest way, what with Lavender and Parvati always hounding her in the dormitory.

Malfoy was a good kisser, she had to admit it to herself. And she couldn't help imagining what it would have been like if she hadn't been so shocked; if she'd been more willing. But really, what was she supposed to do? Kiss him back? Right, so everyone would get the gossip they seemed to thrive off of. And as for Malfoy, she was just picturing the cocky smirk.

The Great Hall wasn't as empty as she would have liked. It wasn't crowded. In fact, there was only one other person there, and the spoon he was holding clinked softly on the plate as she entered. He was the last person she wanted to see.

Malfoy was sitting alone at the Slytherin table, eating a small plate of eggs. Hermione nearly ran back out of the Great Hall, but she told herself not to run away from her fears. Wait. When had Malfoy become a fear? Maybe when he'd shown her how well he could kiss…..Bad Hermione! Focus on your toast.

Toast is really fascinating, you know. I mean, if you tear it away, sometimes the inside is just like warm bread, fresh out of an oven. And the little bits of blackened bread make pretty patterns on white plates….Oh God, Hermione thought. I really am going crazy.

It was only then that she looked up, shaking her head at herself. Malfoy was sitting across from her. Now when had that happened?

"Granger."

"Go away."

"Hostile."

"Hmmmm, I wonder why?" Hermione replied, voice laden with sarcasm.

"Touchy."

"You better believe it."

"It was just a kiss!"

"Do you know many people who find it acceptable to go around kissing girls without their consent?"

"Lots of big words in there…."

"Very funny."

"Well, mostly when I kiss girls, they are giving their full consent, so I really wouldn't know. Also, it was in the script."

"About forty pages later!"

"So?"

"This is an incredibly stupid conversation."

"You started talking to me."

"You sat down across from me!"

"So? That does not require talking." He paused, and Hermione went back to her toast. "Maybe I just wanted to play footsies or something." He continued, and Hermione's half-chewed toast ended up on her plate. She looked up to his grin. "You are too easy," he said after a few seconds, shaking his head.

"I hate you."

"Likewise," he said, and opened his mouth to continue. He was, however, interrupted.

"Then why did you kiss me?" Hermione blurted out, her words echoing off the walls. She sat back after yelling; realizing she'd needed to ask that for a long time.

"Because you're just so irresistible," he replied smoothly, barely missing a beat.

"Stop toying with my mind Malfoy. It won't work." Hermione kept her voice guarded, eyes narrowed. There was nothing Malfoy could say or do that would make her stop being suspicious of him.

"Because I wanted to kiss you. It was an impulse. You were pretty, you were singing, it was an opportune moment, and you're different." Except that, Hermione thought as she gaped at him once more.

"I was 'different'?" She asked, eyes narrowing again.

Malfoy sighed. "As in, you weren't one of those girls who'd sleep with me just because I have a hot body."

"What hot body?" Hermione quipped. Malfoy raised an eyebrow.

"Would you like me to show you?" he asked, smirking as he began to un-button his robes. Hermione shut her eyes quickly as Malfoy laughed. "Too easy..."

"And what do you mean I was all that?"

"Well. Right now, you're becoming more and more like all those girls." She gave him a questioning look. "You've been playing footsies with me this whole time," he said, and triumphantly walked out of the great hall.

"Oh," was Hermione's only and faint response.

**Hermione** was perched on her window sill, halfway into falling through the sky. The door to her room burst one, and Hermione lost her balance for a split second. Possibly the most terrifying split second of her life. She didn't have to turn around to know who it was, especially after the "who" opened their mouths.

"OH MY GOD HERMIONE!!! WERE YOU GOING TO KILL YOURSELF!!???!!!???" Parvati shrieked as she spotted Hermione.

"Malfoy can't have figured out already, can he?" Lavender asked, worried. Hermione stared at the girl. If she thought it would be that bad when Malfoy found out about her little game….But, of course, Lavender didn't know Hermione was just pretending.

"No, no," Hermione replied. "I was just sitting."

"Well then…" began Parvati, sitting down on the bed.

"We overheard something this morning…." Lavender added as Hermione swung her legs back into the room.

"In the Great Hall…."

"Between you and Malfoy…" Hermione spent a few moments to hate the two of them for being everywhere all the time before responding.

"Yes. And?"

Parvati and Lavender exchanged skeptical looks. "You didn't seem like you were dating."

Hermione sighed deeply. "We haven't been getting along as well recently."

"Did he confront you about telling us?" Parvati asked furtively.

Hermione shook her head glumly. "No, it's just…Other stuff." _Oh smart Hermione. 'Other stuff.' I'm sure they'll accept that…_

"Oh, you poor girl," said Lavender sympathetically.

"We'll leave you be." They shared another looked as they entered the common room, and Hermione heard hushed whispers. Loud hushed whispers. She sighed. Knowing the Gryffindors, it was going to be a long night….

Harry and Ron burst through the door, talking all at once. Hermione motioned them to shut up and sit down. Which they did, however reluctantly.

"We've heard from…people…." Ron began, giving Harry a reluctant look. "That you're going out with Malfoy." Hermione looked at him.

"Well, that was very to the point. But it's true," she said. _When did I decide to pull this prank on my best friends? _

"But we heard you slapped him. After he…." Ron and Harry grimaced in unison. "Kissed you." Hermione grinned at the looks on their faces.

"Well, yes. I told him we were going to keep it professional while doing the play. I certainly did not intend on playing opposite him."

"No, I guess you didn't…." Murmured Ron, now giving Harry a suspicious look. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Anyways, it's not going too well."

"But you're together with Malfoy!" Ron exploded.

"Yes."

"Oh…" He finished lamely.

Hermione sighed. "It's hard to explain Ron…."

"BUT IT'S MALFOY!" Harry finally spoke.

"Yes, thank you, I realize that."

"How could you-?" Ron spluttered.

Hermione smiled glumly, her mind working in overdrive. What could she say that would be just perfect…? "But he's so sweet to me, you wouldn't realize it. There's always flowers, and little chocolates spelling out "I LOVE YOU" and his kisses are marvelous. He has this certain way of putting his tongue in my mouth…." She broke off dreamily. _Am I taking this too far? Does it not seem real anymore?_

But then she looked at their faces. They both had their eyes closed and wore identical expressions of disgust.

"Don't ever talk to me about Malfoy like that, or in any other way, ever again," Harry said quietly. He wasn't angry, just shocked, and Hermione grinned some more at his expense.

"You asked me…."

"Just don't ever answer, OK?" Ron said, before they hurried out of the room.

Hermione watched them leave, the grin still plastered on her face. It slowly morphed into a frown, though, as she began to wonder what would happen when Malfoy found out...

**A/N: I've been feeling review-deprived lately, so I figured I'd actually write the next chapter. I tried to make it longer, and I hope it is, wait I'll go check…Four and a bit pages on Microsoft Word! I'm so proud of myself, the last chapter was only…2 pages long! Go me! Anyways, please review, I'd really, really, really, really, really, really, appreciate it. **


	6. When Malfoy Found Out

Hermione hurried through the halls. She'd been getting odd looks all day, and why not? She'd pretended to love Malfoy, then slapped him, pretended they were dating, pretended things weren't working out, and then, what, played footsies with him? Things couldn't be any better, she thought sarcastically.

Then she felt a hand grab her arm, near her elbow, and pull her near the wall. It was Malfoy. Clearly things can always get worse.

"What?" She asks in her most innocent voice.

Malfoy's eyes flashed. He wasn't smirking, and he looked as if he wanted to kill her. Wanted to kill her more than usual. "You told your little Gryffindor friends we're together?" He spat out, and Hermione could just picture him as a snake spitting venom.

Hermione looked surprised, but she knew it would have to happen sooner or later. "They saw us, that one time, outside."

Malfoy glanced behind him. Luckily, most of the students ignored them and continued on their way. "Who did?"

"A few of my little Gryffindor friends," she replied sarcastically.

"I'll kill you."

"They asked me. I made something up. I've even got Harry and Ron fooled…" Hermione trailed off. "But you do you care? You'll kill me either way." But at the mention of Harry Potter's and Ron Weasley's names, Malfoy's ears had perked up.

"Fooling Potter, huh?" He asked slowly, smirking once again.

"You're not going to kill me," Hermione stated, mildly relieved.

"No. This could be…" He paused, searching for the right word. "Very amusing."

Hermione feigned shock. "But what will your pureblooded Slytherin friends say?"

"That," he said pointedly, "Will be the less than amusing point."

"True."

"So…."

"So what?"

"Where to start?"

"I thought you were the mastermind behind all this." Hermione said, becoming increasingly aware of her spot against the wall. Everyone had dispersed, drifting away for lunch.

"I am….First off, what have you told everyone?"

"I only told a few people…" Hermione replied, defensively. He waved it off with his hand. So Hermione recounted everything she'd told Lavender and Parvati.

"So either I'm the naughty boyfriend and I do horrible things to you during play practice, or I'm the nice boyfriend and I abide by your wishes."

"I'd much prefer the latter."

"Too bad. Naughty fits me better."

You've got that right, Hermione thought to herself, eyes scrolling over his body. She chided herself quickly though, remembering hat this was still Malfoy, and it was all pretend.

"What did you tell Potter and Weasley?"

Hermione blushed slightly, and, unfortunately for her, Malfoy noticed.

"What was it, Granger?"

"They asked how I could, because you're Malfoy," she was about to continue, but Malfoy interrupted.

"How perceptive of you," he cut in wryly.

Hermione grinned. "That's what I said. Anyways, I told them I knew who you were, but you were so sweet and brought me flowers and spelled out nice things with chocolates, and-" Hermione stopped suddenly, remembering the rest of what she'd said.

"And?" He prompted.

"Nothing," she replied, a little too quickly.

"Uh-huh. That's entirely believable."

"I said," Hermione replied, becoming suddenly determined, "That you had a particular way of putting your tongue in my mouth. And that was as far as I got, because they both cut me off with their gagging." Malfoy was smirking, and Hermione longed to back away.

"Well…." He said, the smirk growing ever larger, a feat which Hermione had thought impossible. "I could make that truth."

"Chocolates and everything?" Hermione asked hopefully.

And then the unthinkable happened.

Hannah Abbot saw a pig go flying by her window.

The ground suddenly became very hard underneath a Ravenclaw's feet, because hell was freezing over.

A man somewhere in Greece ran down the street, screaming, very loudly, "The End is Near! No, Wait! It's here!"

Draco Malfoy laughed. And all Hermione could think about was how cute he looked. Not like the sexy, gorgeous hunk of a git she knew him to be. But cute. Charming, even.

"Chocolates and everything," he said, before capturing her in a kiss to end all kisses. And his tongue fit just right. "Though," he said, after they'd stopped kissing, "I don't know what flavours you like."

"Well, then," Hermione replied mischievously, "You'll just have to spend a little more time with me."

"I guess so," he said, before capturing her in another kiss. Hermione was incredibly grateful for the lack of students in the hallway, and incredibly grateful for the tight clasps on her robes. Really, at that point, neither of them could be trusted.

"**You two really go well together," **Lavender said, once again bounding into Hermione's room.

"Pardon?"

"That kiss."

"Kisses," Parvati corrected pointedly.

"Oh," said Hermione faintly.

"It was Malfoy. I mean, at first we didn't believe you, thought that it was maybe just a fantasy or something, but today in the halls e saw you and I couldn't believe it, honestly Hermione…."

"You can't being to imagine how many girls want to be you right now, I mean, after we told them…." They shot each other guilty glances. Fortunately for them, Hermione wasn't paying attention. She was looking at the black eagle owl tapping on her windowsill, a small box tied to its claws.

_Dear Hermione, _It read.

_You Gryffindors may be brave, but your nosiness beats it all. I was molested, (pardon the pun,) with questions from my fellow Slytherins. It seems those two flower girls of yours have been spreading rumours. Though, I suppose they're not really rumours anymore, are they? _

_Your devilishly handsome, sexy, debonair boyfriend, _

_Draco Malfoy (Or Stud-muffin, as the rumours say you refer to me as. Do you really? Because I could call you Peaches.)_

Hermione stifled laughter as Lavender and Parvati reached for the letter.

"A Parvati is not a flower," Parvati huffed.

"Oh, hush," Lavender replied excitedly, turning back to the parchment in front of her.

"Why is boyfriend underlined?" Parvati asked.

Hermione put on a dreamy smile. "Because, it just is….I guess it's an inside joke, almost."

The two girls squealed together. "That's so cute!" They exclaimed.

Hermione forced a smile. "I suppose." The reason her smile was forced was because she could see someone at her window. Draco Malfoy was going to become a nuisance.

"Parvati, Lavender, could you go spread rumours somewhere else?" They nodded, and ran out of the room, talking excitedly. Hermione quickly shut and locked the door behind them. Picking up the parchment from the bed, she crossed to the open window.

"What are you doing here?" She asked to the boy hovering on his broom.

"Why, that's a terribly silly question. I've come to see you, Peaches."

"Wipe that smirk off your face, Stud Muffin. How far are we going to let this go?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"You, me, us…"

"Cut the crap."

"Right. I forgot, it's utterly impossibly to toy with your mind," he rolled his eyes.

"It is."

"Uh-huh," he replied, unconvinced.

"Would you stop hovering?" She asked, clearly exasperated and eager to change the subject.

"Would you have me come in then?"

"No. I'd much rather you fell."

"I always loved flirting with you this way, sugar plum."

"That may be laying it on a little thick, don't you think?"

"I knew the terms 'thick' and 'lay' would have to come into our conversations sooner rather than later."

"Get your mind out of the gutter."

"Or you could join me down here."

"Rather not."

"I'm so sure."

"Back to our original topic…"

"Which was about sex, I believe."

Hermione blushed. Definitely not something I thought I'd be discussing with Draco Malfoy, she thought, trying to stop her embarrassment.

"No, I don't think it was."

"I believe the words lay and thick were mentioned."

"And…?"

"And you may be innocent, but you're not that innocent."

"Watch me."

"Gladly. Are you going to perform?"

She glared at him. He flew closer to the windowsill, and stepped inside. Out of his robes he pulled a yellow rose.

"That was unexpected," she said, taking it.

"Seemed like the….Opportune moment," he replied.

She smiled up at him, though she hated the height difference. Made her feel small and delicate, which wasn't something she liked to feel .Unless Draco Malfoy was kissing her like he was.

He moved her backwards, closer and closer to the bed. She broke apart from him as someone knocked on the door.

"This is the part where I hide in the closet, isn't it?" He whispered, smirking again. Hermione nodded, and straightened her clothes. She took a glance at the bed. Hopefully whoever it was wouldn't be too perceptive.

It was Harry. "Yes?" She asked, trying to block his view of her bed and closet at the same time. He peered around her, though discreetly.

"I, uh, wondered where you were at lunch."

Hermione fished for a plausible lie. "Studying. In the library."

Harry looked puzzled. "We checked the library."

"Oh. Right, sorry. Today I was in an abandoned class room. Quieter."

"Than the library?" He asked, looking even more skeptical than before.

"Yes."

"You weren't…." He looked disgusted again. "Spending time with Malfoy?"

"No," Hermione said, but she could feel the blush creeping up on her.

"OK, well then. Are you going to come down for dinner?"

"Uh, yeah. Yes. After I….Finish this book I'm reading."

"OK." Harry said, giving her a strange look and walking back down the stairs. Hermione sighed, and went back to sit on the bed.

"I thought you told them?" Malfoy said, emerging from the closet.

"I did, it's just-" She sighed again, and he sat down beside her. "I can kiss you for the sake of the stunt, but I can't kiss you because I want to."

"That doesn't make a lot of sense."

"You have girls falling all over you, all the time." Hermione replied, tears beginning to form. "Not that I watch you. And I don't. A boyfriend is supposed to be something special. A first kiss is supposed to be special, but you took that. And my second, and my third, and my fourth. So there's no way to back track and pretend it never happened. I can't have my first real boyfriend be someone who I hate and who hates me. It was fun, at first, pretending, everyone's faces, even the rumours are funny. But it's not pretend when I'm kissing you back, just because I want to, not for a game we're playing." She sighed once more, and brushed the tears off with her pillow.

Malfoy stared at her. That much pent up emotion was something he hadn't been ready for. He opened his mouth to say something, but Hermione had one last thing to add.

"And I'm just another of your many girls. Play toys, or whatever you want to call them."

"I'm sorry."

"You're what?" She said, looking at him amazed. He leaned forward, and brushed the next wave of tears from her cheeks.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize this was your….First time. For everything."

"Think of the sexual implications of that."

Malfoy smirked. "You said it, not me."

And then he kissed her again. And she found herself kissing him back, though she didn't know why. Needless to say, Hermione didn't make it to dinner either.

**A/N: Please review. I spent a few hours on this, literally, and I'd really appreciate if I could get your feedback. Even negative, but please, if there's something you don't like, tell me what it is. Don't just say you hated it.**


	7. The Break Up

Parvati and Lavender were positively bursting with excitement. It was a Saturday morning, they were going to go shopping in Hogsmeade later on, but the best, most important fact to make them absurdly happy? They had hunted down, spread, and then gossiped about the single juiciest piece of gossip in years.

Draco Malfoy, sexy bad-boy of Slytherin, and legendary for playing hard to get and generally using girls as objects rather than objects of affection, was dating Hermione Granger, mousy book-worm of Gryffindor, and legendary for, well, her grades.

The Great Hall was abuzz with the information that morning at breakfast. Especially when it was found that Draco and Hermione were both absent.

"Parvati, look at the Slytherin table," Lavender said, containing her excitement, but only barely. Parvati obliged. And then gasped.

"And now, Parvati," Lavender continued, before her friend could get a word in, "Take a good look up and down our own Gryffindor table." Again, Parvati obliged, realization dawning on her.

"Neither Draco Malfoy or Hermione is here this morning. Neither one was present at dinner. Or lunch, for that matter, yesterday." Parvati nodded, breathless with excitement herself.

"It would appear," Lavender continued, as if she were a Professor teaching a lesson, "That they've stopped fighting."

"Yes," Parvati replied finally. "But what, exactly, are they doing instead of fighting?"

"That, my dear girl," said Lavender with a mischievous smile, "Is what we're going to figure out."

**Meanwhile, **in Hermione's room, a rather rude awakening was occurring.

"What the fuck are you doing in my fucking room?!" Hermione shouted at a very amused Malfoy, who was standing over her bed.

"Why, Peaches, I came to get you for breakfast," he said brightly.

"Get the fuck out of my fucking room and don't ever fucking do that again," was Hermione's loud response. Luckily for her, she was the only one in the vicinity who'd chosen to sleep in.

"But, after last night…" Draco said as Hermione attempted to push him out the door.

Hermione froze. "Last night….?" She asked cautiously.

Malfoy paused, looking serious fro a moment, before breaking into laughter. "Good God, Granger, you should have seen your face!"

"I'll bloody fucking kill you, you fucking bastard!" she screamed, perhaps even louder than before. But it was then that Malfoy decided he didn't want to get pushed around anymore.

He stood up straight, and pushed Hermione backwards onto the bed. "Granger, calm down. I came to say good morning, to remind you that we had practice today, so you can't go to Hogsmeade, and to say that last night was wonderful." He concluded his explanation with a cocky grin and a wink.

"Fucking….Bloody bastard…..Kill…..Bloody fucking ass….." mumbled Hermione as she strode around the room.

"You are most definitely not a morning person," stated Draco.

"If you woke up one morning to find me leaning over your bed, what would you do?" Hermione shot back, rifling through her drawers.

Draco raised an eyebrow. _She must really be tired if she let that one go…_He thought to himself before replying. "Depends. If you were wearing that…." He said, knowing that was all he needed to get her started.

"I bloody fucking hate you," she replied, glaring as she pulled up one strap of her nightgown. "Now, if you would kindly GO AWAY so I can get dressed." She stood across the room from him, hands on hips, her attempts at shooting daggers with her eyes failing because of her sleepiness.

"Or I could stay," he replied, trying to look serious.

"Or you could not," she replied sarcastically.

"Or I could," he said, smiling as he sat down on the bed.

"Get out."

"But Peaches…"

"Malfoy," she began. But stopped, looking at the door with a look of utter and complete fear on her face. "I'm so fucking screwed."

"Wha-?" Draco said, but was promptly shoved into a closet.

"Hello, Parvati, Lavender," Hermione said pleasantly as she opened the door. Draco understood her sudden wave of fear. But he wasn't afraid. Draco Malfoy, of course, is never afraid, and in this particular circumstance, he was amused.

"Hello Hermione," chorused two voices.

"Do you need something?"

"No."

"Just came to see how you were."

"Haven't seen you in the Great Hall for ages…" Said one of the voices, quite coyly, Draco thought.

"Oh, yes…" Stalled Hermione, obviously trying to think of a plausible response. "I've been feeling sick. To my stomach. And studying. You know."

"Oh…." Said one of the girls, but it seemed sympathetic. There was a soft noise of people sitting on the bed. _Why would she sound sympathetic? _Draco wondered, listening intently.

"Are you sick to your stomach often?" Inquired one of the girls, voice dropping to a very quiet octave.

"No," replied Hermione, obviously confused. "Not until just recently, obviously."

"Should it be obvious?" Was the reply.

Hermione was clearly still perplexed at the direction of the conversation, but Draco was beginning to get an idea. "Well, I just told you that I-" She began, but was cut off.

"Well you didn't tell us anything directly really."

"Does it have anything to do with Malfoy?"

Hermione laughed. "Oh, yes, he makes me quite sick to my stomach on a fairly regular basis."

"This happens often?" was the hushed response.

"Have you found a spell for it? Is that how you don't-?"

"There are loads of spells, Lavender, you just need to know where to look."

Draco had a strange sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He longed to jump out of his hiding place, but he was willing to bet that it wouldn't help much.

"We'll leave you be then," said one of the girls, sounding strangely excited.

"Toodles."

"Goodbye," Hermione said, still confused. Draco waited a few moments after the door had shut before emerging. She turned to him. "I haven't the foggiest idea what's wrong with them."

Draco sighed heavily. "I do. Granger, you're pregnant."

**Play practice **was scheduled for quarter past one, giving the budding young actors and actresses enough time to eat lunch. By that time, Lavender and Parvati had told a total of three people that Hermione was pregnant. Lavender and Parvati will argue to this day that three people isn't enough to start a rumour.

But we all know how rumours work; those three people each told three people, who each told three people, and so on. After six sets of that, over a hundred people knew. Which was almost all of the sixth year.

Needless to say, the news of Hermione Granger's pregnancy, or multiple pregnancies, depending on how you look at it, had twisted into a few different variations. These are a few of the main rumours that would later reach Hermione's ears.

Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy are a couple, blissfully in love, who sneak around sleeping with each other at every possible moment.

Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy are a couple, though they hate each other, and there's lots of lust involved. To keep this story rated PG-13, I'll leave out the juiciest bits of this particular rumour.

They're not a couple, but were both drunk on a number of occasions.

They have secret chamber in the dungeons that holds….Actually, you can figure that one out for yourself.

Hermione Granger is seductress, or how else would she get him, and she put a horrible spell on him, and he really hates her with all of his being, but he doesn't really know it. (This rumour is favored by the great majority of females in the school, and is often followed by a lively discussion about Draco's- Pardon me. About Draco in general.)

Draco Malfoy is a horrible, evil, slimy, Slytherin git, who has clearly poisoned Hermione's food, or how else would she be doing anything with him? Let alone anything that involves, well, pregnancy. (This rumour is commonly favored by the Gryffindors, but many more adjectives are used to describe Draco, and none of them are like the adjectives that the females are partial to in their discussions.)

**As these rumours were spreading, **Draco was trying to explain his rather unexpected and un-called-for explanation of Lavender and Parvati's behavior.

"I'M WHAT?"

"I mean, Granger, that's what they thought. It's what you implied."

"IMPLIED?! I IMPLIED THAT I WAS HAVING SEX WITH YOU AND THEREFORE WAS PREGNANT FROM IT?"

"Actually, you implied that you'd been pregnant several times from sleeping with me and had found a handy spell to save you from the terrible things that can happen to teen mothers."

"HOW THE FUCK ARE YOU SO CALM ABOUT THIS? CAN YOU EVEN BEGIN TO THINK OF THE RUMOURS? IF THEY WERE SAYING THINGS BEFORE, THINK OF WHAT THEY'RE SAYING NOW!" About halfway through her angry rant, Hermione's voice dropped down out of a caps-lock worthy decibel.

"Well, you can calmly explain that-"

"Oh, what am I going to do?"

"Tell the truth?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "Right. Like that'll work. By now, they'll have me as some dancing monkey with a feisty appetite for young bad boys who have bananas." She paused, thinking over what she's just said. Then she groaned. "I just can't say anything right anymore, can I?" She added remorsefully.

Malfoy grinned, and, still holding her hands, cent down on one knee. "I believe, fair maiden, that there is only one way to fix this."

Hermione gaped down at him in shock. "Please tel me you're not going to propose."

"No, but a wedding and what generally comes after weddings would be nice….No, that's not it." He gave slight tug, pulling her down onto the floor with him. "We have two options. One, we can fly away right now into the sunset, going off to have wonderful adventures that could involve monkeys, if you'd like." She shot him a glare. "Or, option number two, we could pretend to break up. Publicly."

"Why would that help?"

"The monkeys or the break up? OK, OK, stop with the daggers already. That way, all they'd have left to gossip about would be the break up."

Hermione shook her head. "Obviously you've never been inside a girl's washroom. They'll just use the break up as fuel for the never ending flame that is gossip, trust me."

"Let's pretend you have a point." More daggers. "At least it will only leave them to speculation."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, at the very least, people won't be asking you how good I am in bed," he said, smirking some more. "And besides, a very loud, very public break up would be fun. We could let out all that pent up hate."

"You know what? Those monkeys are starting to seem very promising right now…"

**At one O clock sharp they reported to the Great Hall. **Not together, of course. That was just not going to work. When Hermione entered, a hush fell over the room. Hermione wasn't surprised. When Draco entered, there were a few giggles, but it was generally as quiet as before.

"Now, we'll rehearse as much as we can. We'll start from the beginning…." And soon rehearsal had started. Since Prince Phillip didn't come in until the fateful scene, Draco spent the first part slumped in his seat.

When it came to the scene in the woods, the now-familiar hush fell over the assembled cast. Hermione sighed before throwing herself full heartedly into her character.

At the same time, she was acting as if she were a girl who loved Malfoy. She moved stiffly through his arms, though, remembering their fake break-up, which was to occur right after practice as the other students were coming back from Hogsmeade.

Professor McGonagall did not look pleased when they'd finished, and the cast sent each other confused looks. They were lucky; they got information on Hermione and Malfoy first hand. At least, if it happened in play practice.

As they finished, Malfoy and Hermione scowled at each other darkly, quickly making their way out into the hall. They paused, watching the doors for the first signs of their peers. As soon as the door opened, their row began.

"You promised, Malfoy, and now look what's happened!"

"Oh, back on a last name basis, are we wench?"

"You better believe, you arrogant little sod! You walk around as if you're better than everyone else, and I thought I could get past that, but there isn't anything past that!"

"Bitch!"

"Is that all you can come up with?" Hermione challenged, trying not to smile. Malfoy had been right. This was fun.

"You don't fucking care about me! It was all about the looks, the money."

"Don't get cocky, Malfoy, or someone will drop you hard one day."

"Always thinking about my-"

"And that's the other thing! It's always about you! I want to talk, all you want to do is get me in b-"

"Right, like I never listen. I never listened that time when you-"

"Oh, no you don't! You are not bringing up my personal stories in front of all these people, especially after I trusted you!"

"Well it's not like I can help it if you're just like all those other weepy, hormonal girls!"

"Right, the ones who are always falling all over you?"

"You've always been jealous."

"I should have told them a long time ago that you can't get an er-"

"Bloody mudblood bitch!" Malfoy said, cutting her off.

Hermione stood smirking, knowing she had the upper hand. "Now, now, is that all you can think of? Name calling?"

"I know something that'll shut you up!"

"You wouldn't dare! I-" But he'd shut her up, in the most convenient and humiliating way possible. He'd kissed her. Hermione was never one for public displays of affection. She broke it off quickly, and began to walk away. But before she stalked off, she leaned up and whispered in his ear.

"That wasn't how it was supposed to go. Great job fueling the fire." There was scorn in her voice, and Malfoy recognized it, smirked around at the large crowd that had inevitably gathered, and went to grab his broom. After all, he couldn't just walk into the Gryffindor common room.


	8. Snogging and Such

Hermione sat on her bed, elbows on knees, head in hands, shoulders shaking silently. It was a sight Malfoy was very surprised to see when he flew up to her window. Tapping it open slightly and slightly gently on the window sill, he peered at her.

"Granger? What's up with you?" He asked, not wanting to be too nice.

Hermione looked up, and instead of the tear-streaked face he'd been expecting, she was laughing. "Oh God, Malfoy that was the funniest thing…"

He smiled. "I know. I'm genius aren't I?"

"But just the "Always thinking about my-' Honestly, I was trying so hard not to laugh."

"But that would have blown it."

"Speaking of blowing it…"

"As I was saying about you always thinking about my-"

"And as I was saying about you being a vain pervert…."

"You've never said that."

"I've been thinking it."

"Right then. So what were you going to say?"

"What was with that kiss?"

"You liked it?"

"Oh contraire, Draco Dearest. That messed everything up."

"Your French is horrible."

"That's beside the point."

"Actually, I believe it is the point-"

"And I believe you're trying to change the subject."

"Well….Maybe."

"Uh-huh. So, why would you kiss me? It was going perfectly…"

"It was not! You were about to scream out at all those people that I couldn't get an erection!"

Hermione smirked.

"And now you're stealing my smirk!" Yelled Malfoy, seemingly in hysterics.

"I'm not stealing your smirk!"

"Yes you are! Clearly you've been around me too long!"

"Clearly I have!" Hermione yelled back at him, getting up from her spot on the bed to stand face-to-face.

Malfoy blinked down at her. "Why would you say that?" He asked feebly, clearly curious.

"Because I know that the best way to shut you up is to do this…." She said, planting her lips firmly on his. His arms quickly snaked around to the small of her back, and Hermione smirked once again. This time, however, Malfoy was too busy to notice.

**As you can imagine, **the Great Hall was abuzz with the breakup that had ended in a very confusing way. Due to the fact that both of the two had promptly disappeared soon afterwards, many were trying to piece together as much of the story as they could.

Hermione's closest friends were holding an impromptu meeting in one corner of the Great Hall.

"Did you hear?" Parvati squealed eagerly.

"It's kind of hard not to," Ginny retorted, turning to Harry and Ron. "What do you guys know about all this?"

"I bet we know more than they do!" Lavender broke in, using an incredibly high-pitched voice.

"Wonderful Lavender. Can you give us a few moments?" Harry asked, flashing them his best smile. They nodded, giggling, and ran off to talk to a few more of the speculating Gryffindors.

"I know she was apparently dating him," Ron began.

"Yeah, that's what all the girls were saying," Ginny replied, nodding.

"And we know that she really seemed to like him," Ron added.

"But I think there's something strange about all this." Harry spoke quietly, looking thoughtful.

"What do you mean Harry?"

"She just….Doesn't seem to really like him."

"What are you talking about? You remember what she was saying that day we went in to talk to her, right?" Ron exclaimed, maybe a little too loudly.

"Yes," Harry replied grimacing. "But it seemed sort of…Falsified."

"Well, I can tell you that she certainly never looks pregnant." Ginny said, trying to be helpful.

"Can we not go there?" Ron asked, looking nauseas.

"I think maybe we better talk to Parvati and Lavender."

"For once," Harry replied, "I'd have to agree."

"**Lavender!"**

"Harry!"

"Parvati!"

"Harry!"

"Right," said Ginny in an annoyed tone. "Now that we've established that we know each other…."

"You jealous girl?" Lavender said, in her best tough accent.

"Of what?" Ginny replied, standing face-to-face with the slightly taller girl. "Harry knows my name too, isn't that funny? In fact, he sometimes shouts it when-"

"Gin," Harry broke in hurriedly, casting furtive glances and thanking God that Ron wasn't too quick in his realizations. "We don't need to go there." He was mortified, partly because Ginny was supposed to not say anything, and partly because Lavender and Parvati were far more perceptive than Ron. He sighed, but turned to the girls.

"We need to know what you know about Hermione and Malfoy," Ron said, trying not to cast Harry odd glances.

"Well…"

"There's an awful lot…"

"We have time," Ginny said, irritated once again.

Lavender glared at her. "We know she's been pregnant, several times in fact, and that she's found a spell to prevent her from actually showing signs of pregnancy or actually having to give birth." The three friends cast each other nervous glances. It really didn't sound like Hermione. "We know that she and Malfoy were breaking up today, but the way it turned out, we believe that it was a cover-up to hide their suddenly public relationship."

"You really need to get lives…" Ginny muttered while Harry thanked the girls.

"What do we do?"

"Talk to Hermione."

"What if she's with Malfoy?" Ron asked.

"Then," Ginny replied sweetly, "We ask them both."

"This could get very interesting…" Harry said as they walked off.

**Meanwhile, the Slytherins were having their own council. **

"With the Mudblood?"

"Malfoy?"

"Drakie Poo?" All eyes turned to Pansy, who blushed a deep crimson and hung her head.

"Don't ever use that name around me again," Blaise warned.

"I feel sick," came the witty response of another boy in the crowd.

"I think," Blaise began, trying to gather order, "That we need to talk to Malfoy."

"I think," said Devon Pyth, "That you may be right."

"Do we have to talk to him, per say?"

"No," replied Blaise, faking thoughtfulness, "I believe there are other methods to get the information we need."

"Well, yes," came the same wise-ass from the back, "But you don't _really_ want to know what the Mudblood's like in bed, do you Blaise?"

"Oh, shut it," Blaise responded bitterly as the group laughed.

**Hermione pulled away from Malfoy. **

"Stop avoiding the question!"

"You kissed me!"

"Stop being so God-damned irresistible!"

"You think I'm irresistible?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"I take it back."

"Uh-huh…"

"Why did you kiss me down there? We were trying to break up, and you gave everyone the wrong idea! And I hate kissing in public."

"You've kissed people before me?"

"Oh, shut up Malfoy, and answer the question."

"I just…Wanted to kiss you."

"You've really got to stop giving in to your manly urges."

"Manly urges, huh?"

"Something like that. Can't you tell I'm not happy with you right now?"

"No. I've never been much of a ladies man."

"Sarcasm is most definitely not appreciated."

"Look. I'm sorry. Forgive me?"

"It's not that easy."

"Try it."

"You've got to stop doing this! Anyone else would have made me mad enough that I'd have hit them, or yelled, or generally lost it by now!"

"But…?"

"But you're not, and I don't know why! And that in it's self is beginning to piss me off!"

"If I'd have known you had such a potty-mouth…"

"Get over it."

"The Gryffindors will want to talk to you."

"The Slytherins will have far more to say to you."

"Except Slytherins don't just say things, you see."

"Hmmm….So what do we do?"

"We?"

"Yes. Us. Together."

"There's an us now?"

"Should there be?"

"There you go with my smirk again!"

"Must be from being permanently attached to your lips."

Draco was too shocked to say anything for a moment, and Hermione continued smirking. There was a knock at the door. Hermione sighed, rolled her eyes, and ushered Draco out the window.

"Just a moment!" Hermione said, trying to be as casual as possible.

"Hermione, if Malfoy's in there, don't let him hide or leave. We need to talk to both of you!" Came Ginny's response.

"Not that we particularly want to…" Ron added.

"Oh, shut it," came his younger sister's curt reply.

"All right," Hermione said tiredly, motioning for Draco to re-enter the room. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions."

"You'd be correct in that respect," Harry said as she opened the door.

Hermione turned to look at Draco. "Let the interrogation begin."


	9. Wishful Thinking

**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update. I wanted something that actually sort of worked….Thanks for the people who gave me ideas. Or person. You know who you are. And thanks for all the reviews. 70 is 67 more than I was expecting. **

It didn't take long to settle around the room. Draco and Hermione took the window seat facing Ginny, Harry, and Ron. Hermione reflected that it seemed as if she and Malfoy were an old married couple talking to their friends. _But you mustn't think like that, Hermione, it can't be good for your sanity. _

"I'll start," said Ginny, looking between the two boys for confirmation. When they nodded, she continued. "Have you slept with him?"

"No," Hermione said trying not to blush.

"Do you want to?"

Hermione blushed, though she didn't want to, and was careful not to look at Malfoy beside her. "That's completely irrelevant," she said trying to regain some composure. Ginny smirked.

Malfoy leaned over and whispered in Hermione's ear. "_She's_ stealing my smirk, too."

Hermione grinned, and waved him away. Harry and Ginny exchanged interested glances.

"My turn, 'k Gin?" Asked Harry, and it was her turn to nod. "You're not really a couple, are you?"

Hermione and Draco looked shocked. They looked at each other, and Hermione nodded slowly.

"No," replied Draco, hating himself for having to be polite. "Though I don't know why you care."

"We care because, as far as we know, you and Hermione are sleeping around together, and that's not exactly a comforting thought!" Ron burst out.

"Oh, get over it Weasley," Draco replied in an incredibly bored voice.

"Shut up, Malfoy, please," Hermione hissed at him. "You'll expect me to be civil to your friends."

"Slytherins don't have friends."

"So? What's the whole story?" Ginny asked eagerly.

Hermione sighed. "I told Parvati and Lavender I was dating him after the jackass kissed me at play practice." She shot him a glare. He, of course, smirked back. "And then they came in one time and-"

"She _accidentally _gave them the impression that she was pregnant-" Draco continued.

"And had been many times. Though I also implied that I'd found a spell to stop the pregnancy-"

"And that she'd used _that_ many times." Draco finished.

Ginny, Ron, and Harry stared at them. "That," Ginny began, "Was incredibly creepy."

"What was?" They asked in unison.

"The finishing each other's sentences thing," Harry replied, a small smirk growing on his face.

"It's a relief to know that you're not sleeping together, though. Or dating," Ron said.

"One question," Ginny said, a sly grin forming on her face. Hermione gave Draco a nervous glance. "Why are you spending so much time with each other if you're just faking it?"

"Er….Planning?"

"Now Hermione," Harry said, wearing a grin identical to Ginny's. "Are you just trying to make yourself believe that?"

"We're late for play practice," Malfoy broke in, looking completely impassive.

"Are we really? We'd better go." Hermione shot her friends an apologetic smile. "Bye guys. Sorry we had to cut this conversation short."

"No problem," they replied smiling.

"I'm gonna get some food," Ron said, filing out after the pair.

"That was very interesting," Harry began after the three had left.

"Incredibly."

"She says they're faking it-"

"And maybe they were at first-"

"But there's definitely something more there now."

"For sure. Wanna play matchmaker?"

"I don't think we have to."

"Then there are other things we could do to amuse ourselves…."

"**Thank Merlin."**

"You're welcome."

"I could kiss you right now."

"You could, if you wanted to."

"But I won't," Hermione continued, "In case some one were to see."

"Your friends seem to have it figured out."

Hermione grimaced. "There's nothing we can do."

Malfoy put on a fake voice. "We may have to spend some time apart."

"Oh, no," Hermione said, putting her hand to her forehead in a dramatic pose. "Anything but that, my dear Draco."

"You're right, Peaches. I couldn't bear to spend time away from you."

"That was disturbing."

"But don't you remember? Back in the snow, on that cold winter day…"

"You are such a drama queen."

"I'll let that one go."

"Ready for play practice?"

"You better believe it," he replied as they stood outside the doors. Hermione looked at him uneasily.

"I really do not like the look on your face."

"A wise observation."

"I'm so screwed…."

"**Let's run through it again…" McGonagall said tiredly. **

"When did this turn into a full-out musical?" Asked Hermione, trying very hard not to yell.

"It's absolutely bogus!" Malfoy agreed.

"You both sing very well," McGonagall began, "And the Headmaster and I feel it adds humour and liveliness to the story."

"But why did it have to be muggle songs?" Wailed Malfoy from his side of the stage. He was wearing his costume and feeling very odd because of it.

Hermione was on the other side of the stage, also in costume. Hannah had finally decided on a deep purple dress that seemed black in most light made of a light material. It flowed down to about her ankles, so she wouldn't trip, and had a corset laced with dark green threads. She was perfectly at ease in the gown, and swiftly replied "What is wrong with muggle music?"

"Are you listening to any of this?"

"I like it!"

"I knew you were a freak, but this is a little over the top!"

"Break," McGonagall said to the rest of the cast as the two bickered. Everyone walked away to talk, shaking their heads sadly. After a few minutes, McGonagall called everyone together again. Malfoy and Hermione had stopped yelling at one another briefly to get something to drink. They shot each other nasty glares as their teacher looked down at them. "We're going to practice the last song until it's close to perfect. Then you will be dismissed."

"What's the song?"

McGonagall looked down her nose to the paper in front of her. " 'All You Need Is Love', by the Be-atlas. I think."

Hermione stopped her scathing glares to look at McGonagall. "Do you mean the Beatles?"

"That must be it," her teacher agreed, nodding her head. Hermione looked pleased until she fully realized what McGonagall had said.

"Are you kidding?" She exclaimed, disbelief written all over her face. Malfoy looked at her in interest. "I refuse; absolutely refuse to sing that-"

"Granger, this is the first song you've refused to sing. I'm getting a little worried," Malfoy broke in.

Hermione shot him a look of terror. "You should be. You should be."

**Harry and Ginny were wandering past the Great Hall when they heard some rather disturbing sounds. **Peeking inside, they found a sight of utter mayhem before them.

Hermione and Malfoy were in the center of the stage. Hermione was crying, though they appeared to be tears of laughter. Malfoy was staring around at the rest of the cast in shock, probably due to the fact that they were singing and wearing bright, hippy clothing. That had been modified to fit medieval standards, of course. Dumbledore and McGonagall were looking pleased from their spot in the corner, and a song was booming through the Hall.

For the fifth time that day, Harry and Ginny exchanged interested glances.

**Hermione was sitting on her window seat, waiting for Ginny and Harry to come for their explanations. **She'd seen them looking in earlier, and then disappearing with amused looks on their faces. No doubt anyone would be interested to learn of the strange clothing and music coming from the Hall that day, though few would really understand.

But it was only Ginny who burst into her room a few minutes later, looking just as terrified as Malfoy had been earlier.

"What is it Gin? Has something happened?"

"Malfoy! He's hurt. Harry's with him, but I don't know…" Hermione had already rushed past her. Ginny hurriedly followed, giving directions as they ran.

They ended up the dungeons, which didn't surprise Hermione in the slightest. Harry was leaning against a wall, looking down amusedly at a rather beaten and bruised Draco Malfoy, who was yelling some rather profane things.

"Oh, shut up Malfoy!" Hermione said as she reached him. Ginny gave a short laugh and went to stand beside Harry. "What happened?"

"My friends."

"I thought Slytherins didn't have friends," she said mockingly, examining the bruises. "Why aren't you sitting?"

"I'm in pain."

"Really?"

"My back."

"Did they use hexes? Or did they resort to the good, old-fashioned beating of friends?"

"My dear Hermione. It's the Slytherin way."

"I should have known."

"You started the rumour. Therefore, I blame you."

"You went along with it!"

"So? It doesn't mean I-" but he broke off to wince in pain as her hand hit a spot on his back.

"Hmmmm," she said thoughtfully, lifting his robes and shirt and examining the wound. "Well, either they used weapons or Parkinson has really long nails."

"I wouldn't know," Malfoy replied, smiling grimly.

"Sure you wouldn't," Harry muttered. Ginny hurriedly shushed him as Malfoy glared.

"Pomfrey?" Ginny asked Hermione. The older girl nodded.

"No!"

"What do you mean by no, exactly?" Asked Hermione sarcastically.

"Couldn't you do it, Peaches?" He said, looking up and giving her his charming puppy dog eyes.

"Oh, for Heaven's sake!" Hermione said, sounding exasperated. But she didn't really mind. "You better have a valid reason."

"Other than the fact that I love you loads?"

"Yes, other than that."

"You know what?" Harry asked while Ginny snickered. "I don't know whether to be amused or disgusted."

"Compromise," Hermione and Malfoy said, once again in unison, as she began to help him to his feet.

**Later that night, after Harry and Ginny had departed to do God knows what, Hermione sat perched on her window seat once again. **Malfoy was sound asleep on her bed, shirtless, and the stars were the only thing doing a good job of distracting her.

She'd tried reading, but had found that the only books she could find were the ones given to her by Parvati and Lavender as a joke gift the year before. A rather large set of the wizards version of Harlequin romances. Come to think of it, Hermione didn't really know if they'd meant it as a joke or not….

The point was that when you're trying to get your mind of a shirtless boy lying on your bed who _might_ just be attracted to, crappy romance novels were not the best things to focus on.

"Granger?"

"Don't sound so pathetic Malfoy," she said, still not turning around.

"What am I going to do?"

"I haven't a clue. That's up to you to decide."

"I can't go back."

"Report it."

"And get beaten up again? Or worse?"

"Go back, tell them I was your sex slave or something, and hope they believe you."

"Would you look at me? I can't tell if you're joking or not."

"Not until you put on a shirt."

Hermione could practically hear the smirk on his face as he answered. "Do I make you uncomfortable?"

"Malfoy…."

"Just turn around Granger. You've kissed me. You can resist my fabulous abs."

Hermione turned around, drawing her knees up to her chest. "Would you believe that this is the first time a guy other than Harry or Ron has been in my room?"

"Yes."

Hermione shook her head. "So, what did you think of my plan?"

"You weren't joking?" He gaped at her, astonished.

"Well, do you see another option?"

"People would talk…"

"They already have."

"You'd have a horrible reputation."

"But the people I love would believe me."

"You only hope that."

"I know that."

"Besides, if I was to say you were my sex slave, they'd want to know what you were like…And I really wouldn't know."

"What are you suggesting?"

He pretended to look taken aback. "Why, nothing. It was merely an observation of a catch in your plan."

Hermione sighed, and slowly moved over to the bed. "Move over. I suppose you're sleeping here tonight."

"_Under_ the covers?"

"You really are a wishful thinker, aren't you?"

"Sometimes," he whispered into her ear as she turned off the lights, "Wishes do come true."

**A/N: Please review. If you have any ideas for the next chapter, I'm open to suggestions. To those of you who wanted another play rehearsal, here it is. Hope you liked it. **


	10. Witty Banter and Seating Plans

"Malfoy?" Hermione whispered, gently tapping the boy on the shoulder. True to their semi-agreement, he had stayed on the outside of the covers the entire night.

"Uh?"

"We need to talk." He sat bolt upright in response, giving her a groggy look.

"Nothing good has ever come after those four words," he joked easily, despite his sleepiness. It surprised him to realize, for the first time, how easy it was to be around her. When they weren't bickering, of course.

Hermione smiled her own sleepy smile, sitting up to face him. Or rather, to look up and face him, since he was half a head taller than her. "You know what I mean."

"Let me think. My initial reaction was that you wanted to break up with me. Then I realized we weren't really in relationship, so I quickly shot down that idea. The only other idea I can think of is that you might want to propose."

"They hit you too hard."

"Very funny."

"You can't keep sleeping here."

"So we'll make a special trapdoor in the floor and-"

"And then you'd be suspended above the Transfiguration classroom."

"In the wall then?"

"Stop fooling around."

"You know you love it."

Hermione sighed, shaking her head sadly. "Focus. Please."

"Only for you Peaches."

"Which reminds me…"

"Of what?"

"Harry and Ginny are going to think-"

"That it's just part of the charade. Don't spaz on me."

"Yes Master."

"Which brings me to the other topic of last night." Malfoy was smirking again. Hermione wondered, briefly, how he managed to smirk all the time, even before he was forming full sentences.

"I was tired."

"You offered your self as a sex slave."

"Oh, contraire. I said that's what you could tell your little snake friends."

"Slytherins-"

"Don't have friends…I know, I know."

"And I wouldn't want to tarnish your perfect record."

"I told you-"

"You don't really want to do that though. Trust me."

"Trust you?"

"What's with the disbelief?"

"I hate you. You hate me. I can not trust you. It would violate all laws of life."

"Unless, of course, neither of us really hated the other one all that much."

"But we do."

"Which is why I'm sleeping in your bed."

"You make it sound so _wrong_."

"That's how it was meant to sound."

"You know something I've noticed about you?"

"I'm devilishly sexy, you love me, and there are many, many other things we could be doing on a bed right now?"

"No, actually. It's that you can never get to the point." Hermione smirked now, wondering, briefly, why she was smirking so much. Of course, she knew the answer, she just didn't want to think about how much time she'd been spending with the blonde Slytherin, because then she'd be prone to calculating it exactly, and she was fairly sure the numbers would not be encouraging.

He grinned sheepishly in response, knowing he'd proved her point time and time again. "So. We need a solution."

"That would be the general idea behind this conversation."

"I go back to the dungeons, and get beaten up."

"You report it, and get beaten up."

"I ask to move into the Gryffindor tower, and I get beaten up by Slytherins and Gryffindors."

"What plausible reason would you have to stay here rather than any of the other houses?"

"To be near you?"

"They're only going to believe this charade for so long, you know that?"

"Well, most of your little Gryffindor friends haven't figured it out."

"And we're fooling your _housemates _as well."

"So neither house is as clever as they're meant to be."

"You can be dumb and brave."

"And cunning and dense."

"We still don't have a solution."

"The way I see it, there's only one way to do this."

"And it is…?"

"I stay here."

"For how long, though?"

"Why don't we make an agreement?"

"OK…."

"I will stay here until we're finished with the play."

"Deal," Hermione replied, sticking out her hand. He gave her an odd look, and leaned forward to kiss her. Hermione, without really knowing what she was doing, as she would argue later, kissed back.

"Agreed," he said, and trudged off to her private bathroom to get changed. Hermione quickly changed into jeans and a tank top, threw on her robes, and gathered her books. Slytherins could be so unpredictable.

**A half an hour later, **Malfoy finally emerged from the bathroom.

"You take longer than I do!" Hermione exclaimed, jumping up from her spot at the window seat.

"Perfection takes ages."

"Clearly you underestimated the time." Hermione said, hurrying into the bathroom before he could retort. When she emerged five minutes later, he was still chuckling to himself. "Have you gone absolutely mad?" She burst out, standing a good three paces away from him.

"That was one of your better insults Granger."

"Oh, why thank you! I live for your praise." She paused, studying his face. He turned to her, one eyebrow raised, smirking yet again. She hurried to come up with something to say. "How are you going to get out without someone noticing?"

"_Accio Broom,"_ he said, and Hermione watched as a broom flew to the window.

"I see…Well, I'll be off then. See you at practice later."

"Come with me."

"On a broom?"

"No, on the giant purple-spotted hippogriff. Yes, on a broom."

"I'm terrified of heights."

He shrugged. "So I'll hold you tight."

"Careful Malfoy, you don't want to sound like you're coming on to me."

"No, I most certainly don't," he muttered, with only a hint of sarcasm.

"Pardon?"

He flashed her a charming smile. "Oh, nothing. Now, do you know how to mount a broom?"

"Not from out of a window a few hundred feet above the ground." She replied smarmily, rolling her eyes.

"You are definitely not a morning person."

"We came to that conclusion ages ago."

"I'll get on first, and then I'll help you on, OK?"

"Sure. I'm sitting in the front."

"Why? So you can have my arms wrapped around you?"

Hermione wrinkled her nose in mock disgust. "No. So I don't go flying off the end."

He gave a laugh as he climbed onto the broom. He extended a hand to her, and she gingerly stepped up onto the window sill.

"If I ever want to commit suicide, I'll know where to jump from," Hermione said, forcing her eyes upwards.

"Look straight at me. You'll be fine."

"Sure I will." And with that, she climbed on in front of him, unsteadily, and felt his arms wrap around her middle. "There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home…"

"Granger?"

"Yes?" She replied, feeling a cool wind wash over her closed eyes.

"It's OK. I swear."

"I've always been taught to never trust a Slytherin. I believe it was one of the original Aesop fables."

He laughed once again, and brought the broom a little higher. "You can trust me, at the very least."

"I sort of have to at this point."

"Yeah," he replied, tightening his grip. "You sort of do."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Now?"

"No."

"It smells funny."

"It's called fresh air. Not library must."

"If I could, I would hit you."

"Too bad for me then."

"I'm hungry."

"Which is why we're going for breakfast."

There was a lengthy pause as Draco started to bring the broom closer down. It was a perfect morning, just the right temperature, lovely sun, birds singing, all the things Slytherins weren't supposed to enjoy. But he was. _It's all her fault I'm going soft, _he thought. He began to be a bit irritated, partly because of his own un-Slytherin-like-ness, and partly because it was _her_ fault. And then Hermione, with her horrible timing, has to speak.

"Are we there yet?"

"Oh, shut it Granger."

"You are such an asshole."

"We're here."

"This is the greenhouse Malfoy."

"I want to take you through the greenhouses, so we can smell the pretty flowers, and you can watch the sun sparkly through the glass."

"Really?"

"No. I simply can not be seen with you."

"If you were any more pompous…" She muttered, falling ungracefully onto the soft earth.

"I'd be royalty."

"You sound like you've given this a lot of thought."

"Of course not," he replied hastily, while Hermione grinned. "There's been something I've been meaning to ask you."

"Yes?"

"Do you think we should start dating? Just to make it the charade, as you so eloquently put it, seem more real?"

"Dearest Draco, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were asking me out on a formal date."

"Shocking that we've been together for a month now and have only engaged in conversation."

"Clearly quite shocking. So, where do you suggest we go?"

"I haven't thought about it yet."

"Careful planner, aren't you."

"I have been for all the other girls," he replied, giving her a smile and a wink and flying off for no particular reason.

"I wonder if he realizes he just told me I was different from other girls. I also wonder if he knows that I know that whole thing about continuing the charade was just a nice cover-up," Hermione said to herself as she trudged towards the castle. "Though watching the sun sparkle through the greenhouse would have been nice…"

**The Great Hall was packed, but everyone was standing along one wall. **Hermione quietly joined their ranks while watching the Headmaster walk in.

"They just told us to stand, Hermione. That's all I know," Harry said from her left, giving her a knowing smile. She smiled back, and turned to face the Headmaster.

"Students!" He spoke out clearly, receiving everyone's attention. "I have decided I'm going to change the seating plan a little. You will be sitting beside people from other houses, of a different gender, perhaps a different age. This will be a learning experience, I hope. If you would please close your eyes, you will be transported to your seat. Introduce yourself to the people on either side of you."

Everyone did as told, and felt a strange tingling sensation before being lifted into the air. Hermione opened her eyes to see a brown haired boy in the same year as her, Slytherin, on her left, and a blonde haired girl from Hufflepuff on her right.

"Hermione Granger," she said, extending a hand to the girl.

"Kayla Trew," the girl responded, giving Hermione a nervous look. She then spun to face the boy on her right, who was desperately trying to get her attention. They were soon involved in a heated discussion in a foreign language; Hermione didn't ask.

"Blaise Zabini," said the Slytherin on her left, and Hermione was immediately struck with the smooth tone of voice and way of handling himself. She shook his hand, gave him a pleasant smile, and looked up and down the table. She knew very few people, though she could see Lavender at the far end.

"Should we tell something about ourselves?" Hermione asked, with mock enthusiasm.

The boy recognized the sarcasm, and replied in an equally mocking tone "Well, I've always had this fetish for pink toothbrushes…"

Hermione smiled, and lowered her voice, looking behind her. "I sometimes have a craving for caviar and white chocolate."

Blaise gave her an appraising look, and straightened up with a short laugh. "It's nice to meet you, Hermione Granger. Those strange cravings wouldn't be brought on because of pregnancy, would they?"

She observed the slight change it voice. It went from charming to mocking in one fluid movement. "You mustn't believe everything you hear, Mr. Zabini." And with that, she turned to her plate of eggs and toast while he eyed her discreetly.

**Blaise watched her. **He watched her constantly, figured out where she went between classes, knew her schedule off by heart, and was fully prepared to put his plan into action.

Clearly, simply hurting Draco wasn't going to be enough. Hurting something he cared about; well, that was another matter. Blaise had speculated endlessly. He could hurt her physically. But that tactic hadn't fully worked the first time.

Emotional abuse. That would require considerable acting skills; love for a mudblood, after all, did not come easily to a Zabini, even if it was faked.

Mental abuse. Oh, yes. The one thing Slytherins are best at. But what if, he had thought, what if we mixed all three? Yes. Seduce her, mess with her mind and her fragile feminine emotions. It was all too easy.

**Hermione's day had been easy. **She'd sailed through her classes as always, talked to her friends, and given Malfoy the occasional sideways glance. She was walking back to her Common Room, where she knew Malfoy would be waiting in the hall just outside the portrait hole.

She couldn't, not for the life of her, think of a logical reason why she was letting Malfoy stay in her room. Well, there was one….But she'd rather not think about it.

Suddenly, a hand snaked out and yanked her into a small closet.

"What the fuck?" She said, in a very un-Hermione-like manner.

"Oh, pity Granger, that you're not as smart as I thought."

"Blaise?"

"Perceptive, aren't we?"

"It _is_ dark in here."

"All the better then…" And before she knew what was happening, she'd been pressed up against one of the walls and was being kissed. Rater violently in fact. She muttered a quick charm, and he flew off of her.

"Never touch me again. And don't think I'll be so easily caught up in your charms. Rumours don't always lie, Zabini."

She stalked out of the closet, and kept a steady pace until she saw Malfoy. Then she let herself sink to her knees, and touch the bruises that were already beginning to form. This would be an interesting story to tell….

**A/N: I needed to have something happen. Blaise seemed perfect…Sorry about the clichéd aspect of Draco being beaten up in the last chapter. (Please review, as always.)**


	11. Thoughts

**A/N: Thank you all so much. If I had time, I would write individual replies to everyone, but I can't. Sorry. It took me long enough to just write the chapter...deep sigh It's a hard knock life, for me, It's a hard knock life, for me. I write fanfics, all day, all work, no play, it's a hard knock lifeOK, shutting up now. I can't believe I have over a 100 reviews!**

She suspected Malfoy had dragged her back to her room, through the portrait hole, and the Gryffindor common room. She suspected her fellow Gryffindors had not been supportive of the idea of Draco Malfoy helping her into her room. Or getting out of her clothes, she realized with a start, looking down at her pale shoulders. Thankfully, the rest of her bare body was hidden underneath her duvet.

She was exhausted. She was exhausted, and sore, andAnd then it all came flooding back. She felt like crying again, but she was sure by now she was drained of tears. One of the oddest things about her, that only her mother and father knew, was that she cried in her sleep. None of the three had ever known anyone who cried in their sleep, and Hermione couldn't help think of it as a weakness.

She sat up, keeping the covers close, and looked around. It was early, early morning, because it was still dark outside her window, with a hint of light creeping into the shadows.

She blinked a few times, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness, and then proceeded to think.

Blaise was a smooth-talking, handsome young man, but he was definitely a Slytherin. Which, in itself, speaks boat loads. Why would he try to kiss her? She was a mudblood, and, though he'd shown no signs of hostility at breakfast, he couldn't be kind and sensitive enough to disregard a thing like that. So he'd kiss her to mess with her, obviously, to make her try and figure it out, which is exactly what she was doing.

But she suspected he was hoping she'd wonder what a wonderful person like Blaise would want with a lowly girl like her. Sadly for him, she was only thinking of a way to deal with him, not be with him.

So, a motive to mess with her mind….Pure Slytherin hate? No. Draco Malfoy. Hurt someone close to him. But Slytherins don't have friends, or girlfriends, she thought ruefully. So I'm close to Malfoy now? And here I was thinking it was all just a charade. Which means Blaise must see something I don't….

_How long are you going to try to convince yourself that you and Draco hate each other, which is the opposite of what you really feel?_ A voice in the back of her mind chided her.

"He's Malfoy, first off. Second, it's all make-believe. Really. And the opposite of hate is love, which I most certainly do not feel," Hermione said out loud, not even bothering to realize she was having a conversation with herself.

"When you talk to yourself Granger, do you get any answers?"

Hermione's head snapped around. Malfoy was sitting in a corner of her room, looking exactly like the evil villain many supposed him to be. _Many? Are you included in that anymore? _The voice asked.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him, noting that he wasn't wearing a shirt. _Why does he always decide to take his shirt off when we're in my room? _

"If you're going to be rude…."

"Sorry, it's just weird to wake up naked and find a shirtless boy in your room. And don't pull the 'Don't you remember last night?' line, because I'm not going to fall for it."

He smirked. _That stupid, stupid smirk. _

"Granger, if you must know, it was your girly Gryffindor friends who undressed you. And I'm shirtless because it was hot in here, no implications meant. I've been waiting because you walked up to me, sank to the floor, and began crying, and I want to know why."

"Why I was crying? Or why I came to you?" _Damn,_ Hermione thought, trying desperately not to blush. _I didn't mean to say that. _

Hermione didn't have to look up to know he was smirking.

"Why you were crying, Granger. Though why you came running to me, of all people…"

"I was crying because Blaise Zabini grabbed me, pulled me into a closet, shoved against the wall, and kissed me."

"Oh." _That's all he has to say? It's practically his fault! It's his little friend, and he could do something-_

"Yes oh." _–How conceited and jackass-y can he be? I can't believe him! I think I was even starting to like him, to care that much more. I mean, once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin, I know that. I didn't expect him to change completely, but-_

"I'm sorry."

"You're what?" _Didn't see that one coming……_

"I'm sorry."

Hermione grinned. "You're going soft is what."

He grinned back. "That too." Then his face turned serious. "So it was Zabini?"

Hermione nodded. "I have to sit beside him in the Great Hall."

"I could ask to switch seats with him."

"And then our little charade would be blown out of proportion."

"Just don't walk alone OK? I don't mean you have to be with me, just be with someone. He'll hurt you."

"I don't want that."

"Neither do I."

"Stop being so sweet. It's unnerving."

He laughed. "I apologize."

"Good. I'll see you later; I have to get dressed now."

"Bye Granger."

"Bye Stud muffin."

**Play practice had become utter mayhem. **Students came to watch the hippie knights dancing the Charleston, with good reason. Professor McGonagall tried to tell them that they would see it all on opening night, but they were not to be dissuaded.

Watching the cast work their way through the craziness that had become their traditional fairy tale was quite amusing. But a lot of students, mostly girls, came to see Draco and Hermione. They wanted to see if there was chemistry between them, to see if the rumours were true.

Many were quite disappointed.

What they saw when they sat through the entire thing was fanfare music, which was actually played on kazoos and then amplified. The sound was actually quite majestic until you remembered they were kazoos.

The royal party, the celebration of the birth of a baby girl, and then the evil witch came in, dressed as a Goth. She said some random things in a monotone voice, and then cast an evil spell in a monotone voice, saying something about a "pointy thing."

The three good fairies, dressed in nice floral print dresses, are always giggling. When they hide Aurora away, she is only seven or so, and is played by a scared first year student who looks nothing like Hermione, but she doesn't have to say anything anyways.

The scene where Hermione is singing, her dress is a dark green, which is a fairly good colour for Hermione. Hannah Abbott went through at least fifty dresses at every single rehearsal to get that particular design and shade.

Hermione pricks her finger and is transported by the Goth to a tower, though the evil sorceress doesn't seem to be too enthusiastic about it. There is a lot of talking in the play at this point, mostly between the King and Prince Phillip.

When the Goth evil sorceress comes back onto the scene, she brings with her a giant bunny that has rainbow scales and rather large fangs. The fangs were suggested by another muggle-born, who borrowed the idea from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," though few knew it and therefore thought he was just a little strange. The rainbow scales were suggested by Hermione, who borrowed the idea from her favourite children's book, "Rainbow Fish." Why she borrowed the idea for a rabbit is beyond most people.

So Draco has to fight the evil scale bunny using a pink, sparkling light saber. The first time he hears about it, Hermione promises to show him the movie some time. This leads to a long discussion about what a movie is, and the rehearsal is held up because of that on numerous occasions.

Everything goes fairly well until they get to the kiss scene, where the two leads promptly start bickering and Professor McGonagall gets aggravated. Everyone starts yelling, and then Draco usually breaks out into a parody version of "Mr. Brightside," by The Killers, and no one bothers asking how he knows a muggle song so well, lest they face his wrath.

By the end of his song, Hermione is laughing so hard she's in tears, and Professor McGonagall is so astounded she lets them skip the scene. Because of this, they haven't kissed in the play since first rehearsal.

By the end of the play, most people are so stupefied they can't even bring themselves to laugh as people in armour with long hair and hemp jewelry dance around singing "All You Need Is Love." Only half the cast can sing, however, since the other half is lying on the stage laughing.

Finally, when the song comes to a finish and Professor McGonagall has taken a fifth year aside to chide him about his inappropriate behavior in the form of pretending to smoke a joint, the crowds disperse. That was a brief synopsis of the way Hermione and Draco have been spending their Saturday's for the past few weeks.

**Hermione was caught off guard once again. **Blaise pulled her into an empty classroom this time, and it took her a little longer to find her wand and mumble a curse.

"Slower this time,' he said, giving her a malicious look.

"Are you testing me Zabini?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. I think you like being kissed."

"By you, no. By others, yes."

"Others like Draco?"

"Maybe. Maybe not," Hermione replied, wondering why she was having this conversation. She couldn't for the life of her ever remember admitting that to anyone. What were these Slytherins doing to her?

"Admit it Granger. You have a thing for bad boys."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Like you? I don't think so Zabini. Maybe it's a thing for being pushed against walls."

"I knew you liked it rough."

"Note the sarcasm. And here I was thinking you were smart."

"Granger," Blaise said, coming closer to her. "You know you love it when I do this."

"What are you basing that statement on?"

"The fact that you haven't used your wand yet."

"Maybe I like conversation."

"Maybe. Maybe not."

**Hermione ended up on the floor in tears again. **To be honest, she wasn't surprised, though she chided herself for being so incredibly weak. If she'd really wanted to blast the bastard, she could have. She knew hundreds of hexes and disarming charms that would have worked perfectly in her situation, though that probably wasn't what they were intended for, and she had failed to sue any of the really powerful ones both times.

What was wrong with her? Either she'd spent too much time away from her Slytherin-hating friends, or she'd spent too much time with Slytherins. Either way, she couldn't help wondering why Blaise attacking her didn't bother her as much as it probably should.

"How many times is he going to get the better of you, Granger?"

"He's not getting the better of me…"

"You're lying on the floor in tears, clearly in deep though, or perhaps it's a state of pre-mature depression."

"Very funny. Do you always have to be so pompous?"

"If I'm too kind, and too caring, I'll have to be a Hufflepuff."

"That would be a fine sight indeed."

"That it would. Come on Granger," Malfoy replied, seemingly exhausted, as he helped her to her feet. "We'll bring you to the room of requirement so the Gryffindors don't try to hex me again."

"They did that?" Hermione gasped, letting him help her up. She was not one to act ornery when she was in such a state of confusion.

He shrugged. "I'm a Slytherin. If I'm helping a Gryffindor, they automatically assume I have an ulterior motive. Especially if it's a Gryffindor girl."

"Should I bother asking for an explanation on that last bit?"

He smiled a sad smile. Hermione wasn't as surprised as she might have been. He was smiling and laughing without malice more and more often. _Ever since he started spending time with you, he's being going soft. And see what it's doing to him? He's exhausted. His house as all but disowned him, and your friends trust him less than they did before, if possible. _

Hermione began crying, slow, sad tears, as he led her through the halls.

"Granger, you should now by now I can't deal with tears."

"But you have so many girlfriends, Malfoy, you'd think you'd have learned to handle hormones," Hermione replied with as much humour as she could muster. She put on her own sad smile as the tears continued to fall.

"They weren't girlfriends, Granger, as you well know."

"What were they then? Acquaintances?" She was happy for the brief diversion from her rather depressing thoughts, happy that they were talking they way the had before. Witty bantering, back and forth, simple.

He smiled once more. "Perhaps. Why are you crying then? I don't want to ask, but seeing as how I'm your gentlemanly escort…?" He gave her a questioning look as they entered the room, and she sat down on a large armchair. He stood, leaning against the wall in a rather James Dean-ish manner.

"Other than Blaise?"

"We can talk about him later. That's not all though, is it?"

"No," she replied, not even bothering to wonder how he knew there was something more. "You're losing your perfect bad boy image, and you have no housemates, and even if they're not your friends they're still your people, and Harry and Ron and Ginny and all the other Gryffindors trust you less than before, if it's possible, since they think you'd up to something horrible."

"Granger. Your friends, with the exception of Weasley, maybe, think you can make decisions well enough on your own, and they don't appear to be prone to meddling. They trust you, Granger, so you needn't worry. We both know Weasley will be unreasonable no matter what, so you shouldn't think about him too much. My _friends,_ as you insist on putting it, can be won back simply, and besides, that's my problem, not yours. Maybe I am going a little soft, Granger, but it could help me in the end. Don't cry for me; cry for something more important."

"I think you are important."

"You think?"

"You are important."

"I knew it. You love me."

"You bug me."

"Good night Granger."

"Good night stud muffin."

**Blaise was surprised. **He wasn't surprised that his plan was working. After all, besides Draco, he was one of the most desirable guys in school. Not even a silly mudblood like Granger was blind to his charms and good looks. He wasn't surprised that she didn't show up for breakfast the next morning, as he suspected either Draco had come to his senses and taken advantage of her vulnerability the night before, or they'd both slept in. How sweet, he thought, a smirk on his face and a malicious glint in his eye.

He wasn't surprised that he'd had another stroke of genius to add to his masterful plan, or that he knew just how to include Draco in it.

What he was surprised about was how much he liked kissing the mudblood. Part of it, he was sure, was the power. The feeling of some delicate girl wriggling under you, protesting though she didn't really want you to stop, was pure bliss. And that was only the kissing.

The other part of it was her. And he hated himself for it, for liking her lips, he tongue, her face. He was surprised and maybe even a little upset that he wanted more. Every time he kissed her he wanted more, and he was nearly positive it wasn't just the lip gloss, which he had yet to figure out the flavour of. He'd thought he knew every flavour of lip gloss that the girls wore.

So his excuse was the lip gloss. That was it. He needed to know. It had nothing to do with what it felt like for her lips to press against his….

**Hermione was surprised. **She wasn't surprised to find herself thinking about Malfoy and what it felt like to kiss him. She wasn't surprised to find herself thinking about him a good portion of her time; to find that he'd taken the place of homework in her mind, an extraordinary feat indeed. Nor was she surprised to know she really was falling for the Slytherin bad boy, as he was so commonly referred to.

She was surprised at the fact that she liked kissing his friend. His housemate turned enemy. Blaise Zabini. She couldn't for the life of her figure out why. When Malfoy kissed her, it was a slow, steady kiss. Certainly, there was passion, lust, strong liking. But Blaise….With Blaise there was perhaps a trace of lust, but mostly a passion fueled by hate. And for some reason, she liked being pushed against walls, on top of desks, into small alcoves and being kissed roughly and urgently.

She was surprised that Blaise Zabini would bother kissing her, even as part of a vengeance plan. And then, of course, her logical mind kicked in, and it occurred to her that maybe what Blaise was doing wasn't just vengeance….That he liked kissing her more than he could ever admit.

**Draco was surprised. **He wasn't surprised to know that he was falling for the mudblood book worm Gryffindor. He'd known that for a long time. He'd known, however annoyed he could be by her, the steady stream of banter and wit they had going was something no other person, let alone girl, could match. He was not surprised to know that she was different than anyone he'd ever met, and he was not surprised to know what that meant.

He didn't think he loved her. He wasn't sure he could. He was, after all, still a Slytherin. No, he wasn't surprised to know he loved kissing her. Or to see how concerned he was about her, all the time, no matter what she was doing. He couldn't remember ever feeling that compassionate about another person in his entire life.

He was surprised to find he was jealous of Blaise. Hermione and Blaise did not have a relationship. They had a lust-hate connection. He and Hermione, quite obviously at that point, had something more, a deeper understanding and an easy caring relationship. But what ever it was that she and Blaise had, it was fueled by hate, which, he figured, could sometimes be more powerful than love, despite what the fairy tales say.

He was jealous of their hate.

**A/N: So it took a bit of a darker turn in this chapter, but I did have the play bit, which I thought was funny. As always, if you have suggestions, I am always open to hearing them, as far-fetched as they may seem. I'll even incorporate a few into the story if I could see them fitting in, and I'd give you credit. So, please review, and share all your genius ideas with me. **


	12. Menopause? I Hope Not

**Disclaimer: For the last chapter, the line "When you talk to yourself Granger, do you get any answers?" was taken from a play script that most of you probably don't know. MG, you'll recognize it, but I just need you to know it wasn't my genius coming through. **

**A/N: Also, you need to know that occasionally I make fun of myself and fanfiction clichés in my stories. If you think something I've written seems stupid or unrealistic or just unlike me, it's probably because I'm making fun of myself. That's all folks! Please enjoy, and thanks for reading this abnormally long author's note. **

"Granger. Get up, get moving. Someone is bound to find us, and they always get the wrong impression." His voice was commanding, unfeeling, and arrogant. Almost like…Almost like…._Almost like how he used to be. Before you turned him soft, _said the nagging voice.

"Malfoy. I thought I was the only one who had a problem with mornings," Hermione replied, somewhat irritable at the sudden change in attitude.

"Yeah, well…" he replied, not able to come up with a vicious response. All he really wanted to do was kiss her again and again, as sappy as it seemed, but Blaise was throwing a monkey wrench into his life and he was going to fight back. He'd resolved, late at night, that what ever hate-fueled passion he and Hermione used to have and Blaise and Hermione had was going to be re-installed into their relationship.

"That's all you can come up with?"

"Just get out of bed Granger."

"Stop being such an ass Malfoy."

"What did you expect?" he replied nastily.

She spun to face him, and he couldn't help but notice the hapless state her clothes were in. Her skirt was hitched up, her shirt was unbuttoned, revealing a lacy camisole, and her hair was messy. "I expected the same person I've been talking to and actually enjoying myself with the past few days. Not the person who tormented me and who I hated with all my being."

"You were expecting someone I'm not."

"So for the past few days you've been what? Having that time of month or something?"

"Actually, I've been trying to get you to sleep with me and-"

"Don't pull that crap Malfoy. If you'd wanted to take advantage of me, any time when we were _sleeping in the same bed,_ or when I was vulnerable because of Zabini. But you didn't, which firmly backs my belief that, while you're still a Slytherin, there's some part of you that liked me as more than a sex object, no flattery to myself meant."

"What a beautiful tirade, Granger, really. Believe what you want to, but the main thing to remember is that I'm an impeccable actor."

"Malfoy. Kiss me."

"I don't take orders from mudbloods."

She gave him a disgusted though slightly amused look. "Just kiss me Malfoy. "He leaned forward and gave her a slight peck. She laughed. "Malfoy, you womanizer you, is that the best you can do?"

"Are you issuing a challenge?"

"Maybe. Would it help if I was?"

He leaned forward with all the suspense and gusto he could manage and kissed her. He kissed her passionately, and, _as it always is in these cases_, with all his emotions, right down to the 'deep embers of his soul.' Poetic, huh?

She didn't kiss back. When he had finished, she held his shoulders and looked straight at him. "What did you feel? And, by Merlin Malfoy, if you're not truthful I'll steal some veritiserum and use it on you."

"I felt…." He looked at her, at the wall, at the ceiling. This, in his opinion, was a moment of truth. He could lie. He could keep pretending it was all a façade, or he could tell the truth. "Just like I feel when I kiss any other girl."

Hermione nodded, mouth set in a thin line, and straightened herself out. "I'm going to breakfast, if you'll excuse me, Master Malfoy." There was sarcasm, loathing, and disgust in her voice as she stood up, grabbed her things, and stalked out the door. Once the door had clicked firmly behind her, he let his head drop into his hands.

**Blaise was waiting for her. **

"Hermione!" he exclaimed, full of fake enthusiasm.

"Shut up Zabini."

"I figured," he whispered, leaning in closeto her ear and abandoning his utensils on the table, "That we would be civil while in public."

"And then what? When not in public, we'd keep up our little hate passion fest? Just leave me alone."

"Granger?" he asked, his tone perfectly innocent.

"What part of 'leave me alone'-"

"Something happened with our mutual friend Draco, right?"

"Zabini, I swear I'll hex you from here to-"

"Granger," he broke in, chuckling in what can only be described as evil manner. "I win, don't you see?"

"Over who, Zabini? Malfoy? And what, pretell, did you win?"

"Power."

"Is that all that matters?"

"Yes. You mean nothing. Power means everything."

Hermione leaned forward and kissed him. "Tell me you didn't feel anything," she whispered into his ear. There was a ghastly silence, then a wave of murmurs as Hermione stalked out of the Great Hall, and then full out speculation.

**I believe it is another time for a rumour update. **

Lavender and Parvati had decided that clearly Hermione was cheating on Malfoy. What they couldn't figure out, and therefore what they didn't speculate about for very long, was why she would kiss him so openly.

A few others with larger imaginations whose minds just happened to be in the gutter had theories about threesomes gone wrong, and I really don't want to go into details about that particular rumour.

Many others, mostly girls, believed Hermione was a slutty bitch who should just stop stealing two of the cutest boys in school. After all, she did have the third cutest boy in school as a best friend. (Sadly, they weren't talking about Ron.)

Most of the guys thought Hermione and her scandalous adventures in and out of the bedroom were a big turn on, and were already hatching ideas on how to steal her for themselves.

Harry and Ginny were giving each other worried looks, while Ron was still staring open-mouthed at the spot Hermione had vacated. There were countless other rumours which involved baking products, children's toys and one or two other things. It was amazing what sort of things people could formulate from just one kiss.

Most people, however, were wondering about one thing. What was going to happen on opening night? Had there been a scandalous breakup and neither Draco nor Hermione would perform? Would they start doing something totally inappropriate on stage, whether it be fighting or making out?

As questions and speculations were discussed throughout the Great Hall, Hermione Granger stalked towards her room. Somehow, it didn't surprise her to find Draco Malfoy there.

"**Would it surprise you to know I don't just think of this as a game?" **she said, barely noticing his bare chest.

"No," he replied calmly, looking up at her from his spot lying on her bed.

"Would it surprise you to know I don't hate you as I much as I want to?"

"No."

"Would it surprise you to know I just kissed Blaise Zabini in front of everyone in the Great Hall?"

He sat bolt up right. "You did what?"

Hermione said, sitting down next to him. "I kissed Blaise Zabini in front of everyone in the Great Hall."

"Why?"

"He said he'd won."

"Won what?"

"Me. Power. I don't know. What ever it was, he'd beaten you."

"Must have been power then."

"Why? Because no self-respecting man would ever want a mudblood like me?"

"No. Because no one can win you, Hermione Granger."

"What's with the sudden change in attitude? First you were an ass. Then you began to get all soft on me, which was, admittedly, slightly unnerving. Then you became an ass again this morning, saying you'd just wanted to get me in bed, and now-"

"Granger-"

"Honestly Malfoy, you'd think you'd just hit menopause."

"Yeah, that's definitely it," he replied, giving her one of his charming smirks.

"I knew there was something wrong with you."

"Apart from me being a Slytherin? And an ass? And pompous? And egocentric, arrogant, and for calling you mudblood?"

"Apart from all that, Mister Draco Malfoy, you seemed perfectly normal. Now, fix this problem I've gotten myself into."

"How do you propose I do that?"

"Actually, before you do that, tell me why you did change personalities all of a sudden. Truthfully this time, since I know you love me."

He smiled. "I was jealous."

"Of who?" Hermione asked, astonished. "I would never sleep around with someone, Stud Muffin."

"I was jealous of you and Zabini; what you had."

"We had bruises, or at least I did," Hermione retorted.

"You liked having him kiss you. And, by Merlin Granger, if you're not truthful I'll steal some veritiserum and use it on you."

"Maybe. But Malfoy, really, I love kissing you."

"So? There was some weird passionate lust hate thing you two had. We used to have that."

"Yeah, until you started acting like a normal person; well, as normal as a Slytherin like yourself can get. Then I started liking the 'real' you, if you'll excuse the cliché. And we still fight."

"But Zabini…"

"Zabini who?" Hermione replied firmly, before moving to straddle him and kiss him.

"They'll talk you know."

"Do they ever do anything else?"

"**Yo, Blaise," **began the smart aleck from the back of the crowd when the Slytherins has first been deciding their course of action. "When I said 'lay the mudblood' I didn't mean it literally."

"Chris. Shut up. Seriously. And you should try it sometime."

"I don't sleep with the enemy," the other replied, sneering.

"Who's fighting?"

"We're always fighting. You can't throw it away for some chick you're sleeping with to beat Draco."

"I'm not trying to beat Draco."

"No? Last time I checked, you weren't in to mudbloods."

"Last time I checked, neither was he."

"I'll just pretend she kissed you, and it wasn't voluntary on your part. It'll help me sleep at night."

"Sweet dreams Chris." And then, under his breath, "It was all for the lip gloss."

"**Granger."**

"Yes Malfoy?"

"You're going to want to stop doing this soon."

"And why is that."

"Because I'm going to forget myself."

"And?"

"And you probably don't want that."

"Why not?"

"Stop being all seductive. It's unnerving."

"The Draco Malfoy I once knew wouldn't have stopped. So stop being so caring and sweet. It's unnerving."

"You made me soft. It's not my fault."

"I'm nearly positive I made you something other than soft," she replied, smirking at him.

"That was a cheap shot, and you know it. Like I said, it's weird to have you all daring."

"Can I be daring after our fake date?"

"Yeah. I think I'd like that."

"I'm sure you would."

**Hermione was walking down the hall with a spring in her step **when she was grabbed and yanked into an abandoned hallway in an all-too-familiar manner. After being pushed into a wall and kissed ferociously for a few seconds, she got over her shock and hexed Blaise into the far wall.

In light of her almost defined relationship with a certain Draco Malfoy, she was filled with rage that Blaise would even dare to….Then again, she had kissed him in the Great Hall, which _might_ have sent mixed messages.

"I don't think you understand women very well," she snarled, standing over the dark-haired boy.

He gave a short laugh. "Don't worry your pretty little head Granger. I'm fairly sure you and Draco have everything peachy now. I just needed to do this once more, for old time's sake." He stood up shakily. Leaning forward, gave her an urgent kiss, but only his lips touched her. His hands stayed limp at his side, and he made no move to push her backward.

To his surprise, she kissed back. After a few minutes of kissing, they stood. "Granger…"

"Zabini, what ever it is you do to me isn't half of what he does to me."

"I suspected as much."

"I always knew you were smart."

"Granger?"

"Yes?"

"What flavour is your lip gloss?"

"It's Satsuma," said a voice from behind them. Malfoy stood looking at them, a cool expression on his face.

"Oh," replied Blaise weakly, while Hermione gave Malfoy a small smile.

"Bye Zabini."

"Bye Malfoy." And with that, Blaise Zabini waltzed out of Hermione's life for good.

"How did you know that?"

"It must be from being permanently attached to your lips."

"That's my line," she replied playfully.

"And you cry in your sleep."

She took a step backwards. "How did you know _that_?"

"I've been sleeping in the same bed as you…"

"You make it sound so _wrong."_ She replied easily as they walked down the hall, prodding him in the stomach.

"Yeah. I know."

"Don't get all mushy on me Malfoy."

"Granger, please shut up."

"Is that the best you got?"

"Can't you just kiss me?"

"Not until you provide a better come back."

"Fine. Malfoys don't get mushy Granger."

"Except for a certain blonde-haired teenager who has gotten all mushy over some girl."

"Some girl?"

"Yes."

"I don't see just 'some girl' around here."

"You really are going soft on me. I may just have to dump you."

"That's gotta be a new record. Dumped before it even began."

"It's been going on for a week or two now."

"That was fake though. We still hated each other then, remember?"

"Something like that."

**Lavender and Parvati stood watching. **Love triangles were an amazing source of gossip. Incredibly juicy gossip.

"What did you get from that?"

"Your typical soap opera."

"Seriously."

"Hermione two-timed Blaise for Draco and he found them in their special dungeon room a week or two ago. That was the break up."

"Has the search party come back from searching the dungeons for that room yet?"

"No, but it's not surprising. I mean, they are the two top students in our year."

"Good point. Anyways, my theory is that she was one of their sex slaves, or maybe both for both of them, and then developed feelings for one or both of them."

"Impressive. I like that one better."

"Shall we spread the news?"

"Lead the way."

**A/N: End of chapter 12. I think I'll wrap it up in the next chapter, so this is your final chance to tell me about parts that you liked, to give suggestions, etc. Garfield16 gave me one idea for this chapter; just goes to show I will do my best to incorporate them into the story. The Satsuma lip gloss thing was a tribute to my friends who actually don't support this pairing, but are addicted to the lip gloss. I felt the lip gloss thing was a loose end that needed tying. See anymore? Well then, tell me!**


	13. Opening Night and More Wishful Thinking

"Is there a reason why your shirt is off again?" Hermione asked groggily, sitting up and turning to the figure beside her.

"I wasn't going to sleep fully clothed Granger," he said, giving her an appraising look. He then raised one eyebrow and added "You don't, that's for sure."

Hermione frowned at him and pulled the sleeve of her rather skimpy nightgown up once again. "Cheap shot."

"Well, you like using them, so why shouldn't I?" Hermione frowned once more, glared, and began to slide off the bed. He grabbed her waist and pulled her back. "What? No comeback?"

"I'm not a morning person."

"I know."

Hermione glared, and then looked as if she was thinking hard. "Witty banter,' she replied quickly, and slid out of his arms.

He stared at her blankly. "What?"

She smirked down at him at his spot lying on the bed. "Simply using the phrase witty banter seems witty, doesn't it? And besides, you have no comeback."

"Not fair. Really not fair."

"Life isn't."

"Yes….But why can't it ever be unfair in my favour?"

"Stop whining."

"Stop looking so damn sexy." There was a slight pause as Hermione turned to smirk at him and he cringed. "Did I say that out loud?"

"You better believe it Lover Boy," Hermione replied before slipping into her bathroom. Malfoy sighed and dropped his head back on the pillow. All he could think of was that smirk, and her nightgown strap slipping off her shoulder.

"**Blaise, dahling!" **Hermione exclaimed as she plopped into the seat beside the boy.

"Granger," he acknowledged, barely giving her a nod.

"That's all I get?"

"Wouldn't want your boyfriend to get jealous," he replied sharply, still not looking up.

"How about you? You seem awfully jealous."

"My reputation is shot, Granger, because of that little stunt you pulled."

"You were the one kissing me in abandoned classroom Zabini."

"Granted, Granger. But that was just messing with your mind."

"Then how come you liked it so much?"

"Shut up Granger, or I'll be forced to taste that lip gloss again."

"Be my guest. I'm not attached to anyone."

"Of course you're not."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"How so?"

Blaise smirked, and Hermione rolled her eyes. What was it with Slytherins…? "You're sleeping in the same bed as him."

Hermione reeled back. "How did you-?"

"I have my sources."

"Don't be all cool as a cucumber to me Blaise Zabini!"

"Fine. I won't be. Should I be cool as a cat? Cool as a cup of iced tea?"

"I hate all Slytherins," Hermione repeated under her breath in complete exasperation. "So. Are you going to blackmail me?"

"You read my mind," he replied, grinning. Hermione sighed.

"Conditions?"

**Hermione reflected. **She sat on her bed, tried not to think that a very shirtless boy had been there a few hours ago, and reflected. Blaise was blackmailing her. It wasn't surprising, really. But she couldn't for the life of her imagine how he knew. Maybe he'd just deduced it; Malfoy hadn't been in his dorm for days, and they were spending an awful lot of time together…For play purposes, of course.

Slytherins were expected to be evil, but he'd gone into an entirely new range. Blackmailing, yes. Messing with her mind, yes. Taking the upper hand when she thought she had it, yes. Coming between her and I guy she was pretty sure she liked as more than an enemy, maybe. But all of them mixed together? He was evil. Pure evil.

She had accepted his terms on the grounds that she was protecting Malfoy. She hadn't told Zabini that, of course, but it was what she would tell Malfoy. If she told him at all. Which she wouldn't. She had agreed to his conditions less than readily, and was terrified of what she was doing: Playing with fire. And not just any fire. Blue fire (Malfoy) and red fire (Zabini,) two fires which, when mixed, could have disastrous proportions.

Hermione blinked. She was doomed. She was doomed because she and Malfoy had something, though Merlin knew what it was, and she was going out to the upcoming ball with Blaise.

She reflected on her doomed-ness until Malfoy walked in, gave her a cocky grin and peeled off his shirt.

"Argh! What makes you think I want to see that?" She cried, shielding her eyes with a pillow.

He sat down beside her and replied "A lot of things Granger, a lot of things."

"Someone's in a deep, profound mood today."

"Shut up Granger."

"Fine. Did you have any more deep, profound things to share with me?"

"No. How'd everything go with Zabini?"

"Oh, the usual," replied Hermione, after a pause. He gave her a curious look. "What?"

"You're hiding something," he replied, sitting up and giving her a suspicious look.

"No."

"Yes, you are. Really Granger, I thought we were beyond this."

"Beyond what?"

"The honesty game part of our relationship."

"What relationship?"

"Whatever it is that we have."

"We have nothing."

"Stop kidding yourself."

"You're infuriating."

He paused, staring into the eyes of a girl he was pretty sure he liked as more than an enemy. She glared at him, smirking when it appeared he couldn't come up with anything as a clever reply. "Witty banter."

"Malfoy!" Hermione exclaimed before they both dissolved into fits of laughter. Blaise was forgotten by both in favour of, erm, Satsuma lip gloss.

**Opening night was that night. **Hermione had nearly forgotten, but she quickly remembered when Hannah rushed into her room. "I have to get you ready!" The girl exclaimed, dragging Hermione with her down into a large room that led off from the Great Hall. Hermione looked at it all in avid interest; it was exactly like backstage at a regular theatre.

The ceiling was ornate and cream coloured, with pillars every so often. Along the walls of the rectangular room there were movie-star style mirrors and tables filled with various beauty products. In the center of the room, tall racks of coustumes reached to the ceiling, separating one half from the other.

"Wow," Hermione breathed as Hannah led hr to her own personal stall.

The taller girl grinned. "I know. Now, sit. You're set to go on in an hour and a bit, and I need you to get changed and I need to do makeup and hair." She paused, giving Hermione and appraising look. Then she waved with her hands. "Shoo! Get that dress on!"

Hermione scampered off. Meanwhile, on the other side of the large room, Malfoy was being primped. "I need no makeup!" He yelled at the girl and boy hurrying around him.

Then he heard a soft laugh behind him. He turned to face Hermione, who was looking beyond amused.

"Malfoy," she greeted, trying to keep up whatever part of their façade they were in now.

"Granger," he replied, eyes scrolling over her body. "Shouldn't you be getting made up?"

"I'm not good enough as is?" She replied teasingly. "Actually, I escaped for a few moments. We heard tortured screams. I recognized them." The makeup boy and girl exchanged mischievous glances and scampered away to speak to the rest of the crew.

"You've done it again," he said, hanging his head in his hands.

"Done what?" Hermione asked exasperatedly, hands on hips, as she watched the two scamper away.

"Think Granger. What do young, perverted minds generally associate with tortured screams?"

Hermione reflected for a moment. "I've done it again," she said finally, looking thoughtful and remorseful all at once. He grinned, and she grinned back.

"HERMIONE!" Hannah cried from the other side of the racks. Hermione looked fearful.

"I'm coming!" she cried, before leaning over and giving Malfoy a quick kiss on the cheek. "Break a leg Stud Muffin," she whispered in his ear.

"Same to you Peaches," he replied, grin still plastered on his face.

**Hermione glanced nervously out at the crowd entering the Great Hall. **She was surprised at her anxiousness, as she had always been incredibly comfortable on the stage. Suddenly two arms slipped around her waist.

"Hey," he breathed into her ear.

"Hey," she whispered back, eyes sticking to the space beyond the stage.

"You'll do fine."

"I'm not nervous."

"Sure you're not."

"OK, maybe just a little."

"Don't be."

"We haven't actually kissed on stage yet."

"I know."

"Just a peck, right? Don't embarrass me."

"So now I'm an embarrassment?" he replied teasingly, and Hermione was grateful he didn't take her seriously. "Am I allowed to sing my wonderful rendition?"

"You're wonderful rendition of a muggle song?"

"I must have heard it from you," he replied defensively.

"Uh-huh."

"Places!" McGonagall said from somewhere behind them.

"Off we go then," said Hermione shakily.

"You'll do fine."

**And she did. **The entire time, however, her eyes continued to stray to where Blaise was sitting. He was distracting in every way, shape, and form and she could not get him out of her mind. Even when Malfoy kissed her and she awoke, filled with love as a princess coming out of a deep sleep, she was thinking about Blaise pushing her up against walls in vacant classrooms.

They finished without any mistakes, and most of the Great Hall sat laughing long after the cast and taken their bows. They didn't mind though; making people laugh and enjoying themselves was all they had set out to do. OK, not really, but it was a success, at the very least.

Malfoy and Hermione met up in her room, both still wearing their coustumes. "Granger," he said, looking her over.

"Malfoy," she said, smiling at his obvious love of her outfit.

"I don't suppose you need any help getting that off?" He asked, giving her a hopeful yet somehow still seductive look.

She gave a small laugh. "No, Malfoy, I think I can manage. Nice try though." And she slipped into the bathroom to get changed and take her makeup off. A few minutes later, she called out to him. "Malfoy, I need your help to unlace this corset. And don't get any ideas; I just can't reach it."

He smirked and entered the bathroom. Her makeup was halfway there to being completely washed off, and her hair was falling over her shoulders in tangles. "Gladly," he said as he stood behind her.

"No ideas," she warned, pulling her hair away from the knots at the back of her dress.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he replied as he began to unlace the ribbons. Slowly the dress began to slip off her shoulders, and he stood looking at her pale skin. She turned around, still smiling slightly, and kissed him.

"Sometimes," she said, and gave him another kiss, "Dreams do come true."

"You know it's unnerving when you're all seductive, right?"

"Only because I'm the only girl who's made you as nervous as you make her," she replied, before pulling him with her back into the bedroom. Needless to say, they didn't emerge to have the party with the rest of the cast that night.

**A/N: I know this chapter is a little shorter than usual, but this isn't the end of the story like I said. So I lied. Please forgive me. And Blaise didn't walk out of her life forever. Whoops. **

**As for Malfoy and Hermione, make of this what you will. (Hint: I'm no good at writing sex scenes, so I'd generally leave it with an air of mystery.) You're bright people. You'll read the signs. **

**Yet another tribute to my friends. The 'witty banter' thing is a concept my best friend and I came up with one day when we were bored. (Did I mention this to you, MG?) Anyways, please review guys! And give long reviews!**


	14. Prelude to the Ball

Hermione walked down to the Great Hall with the air of someone who had done a wonderful job in a musical the night before but still had something terrible hanging over her shoulders. When she was seated at her spot beside Blaise, she was surprised to find how incredibly nervous she felt around him. She felt like blushing and giggling and she was sweating. She felt like the clichéd schoolgirl with a crush, and it pissed her off to no end.

As soon as she had begun eating and had gained a relative hold over herself, Blaise wrote something on the napkin and slid it over to her.

'Excited for tomorrow night?' It read.

'This is a cloth napkin you idiot!' Hermione scribbled back.

'Not a morning person, huh?'

'Shut up'

'I'm not talking'

'You know what I mean'

'We're running out of room, so just answer the question'

'I am not excited for tomorrow night!'

'Rather be going with Draco?'

'What's it to you?'

'I am your date'

'And I am walking away'

**Hermione was incredibly pissed off. **She was acting like some giggling schoolgirl who fancied a boy far beyond her league and she wasn't sure what to do about it. She was going with him to the ball, that much was for sure. And she was going to have to tell Malfoy before the ball, otherwise he'd be too upset for words.

"Hey, watch it Granger," Malfoy said as they bumped into each other.

"Shut it Malfoy," she replied quickly, having vague recollections of a time before nights in the snow, play practices, and footsies. He slipped something into her hand as they walked away from each other.

I think now would be an appropriate time to note that the two of them had officially succeeded in baffling the population of Hogwarts. They went from hating each other to acting like newlyweds. And then, clearly, newlyweds who cheated on each other, what with the Blaise situation. In the halls they acted as if they despised each other, but others would see them sharing kisses a few hours later. One could only assume that they were insane or couldn't get a grip on their feelings.

The truth was that they weren't sure where the façade ended and reality began anymore. Their lives were a strange mix of acting and showing their true feelings, and it didn't even make sense to them.

Anyways, Hermione headed for her room and looked at the note Malfoy had slipped into her hand. 'Just to be all clichéd, meet me in the Astronomy Tower tonight. 11:11'

**At 11:11 **that night Hermione found herself sitting against the wall of the Astronomy Tower. At 11:11 exactly, she chided herself. He is such an idiot.

"I know you think I'm an idiot," his voice startled her for a second, but then she realized what he'd said.

"How did you know?" She asked, small smile on her face.

"Because I asked you to be here at 11:11 instead of a more natural number."

"OK, I'll bite. Why 11:11?"

"You can make a wish at 11:11," he replied easily.

"That's a whole lot of wishes."

She could make out his figure shrugging in the eerie light. "I figure if you don't abuse the privilege, you might get lucky."

"Like being an idiot?"

"What about it?"

"Everyone's entitled to be an idiot, but some abuse the privilege…"

"Very funny."

"I thought so."

"You have something else to say," he said after a moment, sliding down to sit across from her.

"Yes," she replied slowly, thinking over her next sentence. "About the ball…"

"Should we go or should we not?" He finished for her, about to continue.

"No, there's something else."

He sat in silence for a moment before replying. "Yes?"

She took a deep breath. She hadn't realized how much it would hurt and yaddy yaddy yada. "I'm going with Blaise."

Malfoy's voice was icy calm as he replied. "Oh?"

"Yes."

"Should I ask the circumstances?"

"It's not like I'm attached to anyone, is it?" Hermione said, part in defense and part in challenge. There was more silence from the opposite wall.

"He's blackmailing you?" Malfoy asked finally.

"Yes," Hermione said, feeling a little relieved. She did, however, take note of the fact that he hadn't answered her challenge.

"With what?"

"The fact that you're sleeping with me." She could feel his smirk slide onto his face through the darkness. "I mean," she said, stumbling over her words a little, "In the same bed. Since we haven't actually…"

"Do you want to?"

"What?" Hermione asked sarcastically. "Right here, right now?"

Another easy shrug. "You don't seem like the type."

"I'm not. Anyways, I'm sorry. I would have gone with you, but we're not really…."

"We're not anything anymore, are we?" He asked tiredly. "We're not enemies, we're not boyfriend and girlfriend, but we're not just friends either. We can't decide on one or the other."

"It's different this way."

"But not better. Not any easier than it was when we hated each other."

"Should we go back to hating each other?"

"Maybe."

"It would be easier. Less people would hate both of us."

"And you could have a chance with Blaise," he said, a tone of finality in his voice. He stood, looked at her with a strange softness on his face Hermione was sure she'd never see again, and walked away.

"I could…" Hermione replied sadly, watching his retreating form. "I could."

**Hermione awoke the next morning to find herself still in the Astronomy Tower, **eyes filled with salt. She'd been crying in her sleep again. Moving from her uncomfortable position, she reflected on the night's events. As she walked solemnly back to her dorm, she knew that, for the first time in a week that had seemed like a month, she wouldn't find a boy with his shirt off sitting on her bed or in a chair.

She knew that there would be a cold air about the room, and it would seem as cruel and unforgiving as a room can. She knew she would curl up in her covers and cry a bit more and she wouldn't be warm at all. And she knew that all the magic of wishful thinking and snow outside her window would be lost.

And it was. All of it. And she did curl up in her covers, and didn't make a peep until Ginny showed up three hours later.

"Hermione," Ginny called through the door, tapping lightly. "I figure you were with Malfoy, but he was at breakfast…So something's gone wrong; you never sleep in Herms. I'm coming in, OK?"

Hermione didn't reply, just sat with her back against her pillows and stared at the door. She pulled the covers up around her, tighter than they had been.

Ginny pushed open the door and crossed to Hermione's bed, sitting down beside her.

"Wanna tell me what's up?" Ginny was more worried then she would have been for anyone else. The thing about Hermione was that she was always sensible, she was always calm and under control and she would never lose her head over a boy, least of all one who she still hated with a part of her heart.

So Hermione recounted the entire story, in the calm clear voice Ginny was used to. Hermione didn't cry the entire time, and Ginny didn't look too sympathetic.

"So we're enemies again and I'm going to a ball with his conniving, blackmailing Slytherin _acquaintance." _Ginny, for the life of her, couldn't figure out why Hermione had said 'acquaintance' with such venom. She also had no idea what she was going to do.

"How bout this?" Ginny asked. "Don't go."

"Blaise'll…"

"I know Hermione," Ginny, gearing up for her pep talk.

"I'll go Ginny. I have an idea. In the mean time," she said, sizing up her friend, "I need to see your dress. I need to make you look beautiful for Harry."

Ginny looked stricken. "How'd you know I was going with Harry?"

"I know things," Hermione said in a mysterious voice that was a perfect imitation of Professor Trelawney. "Lots of things…" The two girls fell off the bed laughing.

**By four O'clock that afternoon they had a small troupe of girls gathered in Hermione's room. **Hannah, Hermione, Ginny, and Lavender and Parvati, much to Hermione's disgust, were sitting in a small circle on her carpeted floor. Inside of the circle were various beauty products, and suspended around the room were their dresses. Now, since you'll all want to know, this is the long-winded description of the dresses. If you don't care about the dresses, skip to the next bold print:

Ginny's Dress: Ginny's dress was, predictably, a dark green. It had one sleeve that came down to about mid-palm. The neck was modest, and the there was a corset running up the side without the sleeve. The skirt was ruffled and alternated from the green to black. Her shoes were black as well, and I don't have enough imagination to describe them as well.

Hannah's Dress: A cherry red with a neck that cut across to her arms, leaving her neck and shoulders bare. It wasn't incredibly tight but it didn't hang like a bag either, and it came down to the floor, letting her darker red shoes poke out from under it. There was a diamond pattern over it that wasn't incredibly eye-catching, sort of like Old Victorian wall paper only it looked good. The stitching was a dulled gold, as was the small ribbon around her waist.

Parvati's Dress: White, flowing pants underneath a green Vietnamese-style, high-necked light green dress. It was three-quarter length sleeved and had a slit running to about her bellybutton up one side, about where her pants were fastened. (So it didn't show much skin.) There was a faint pink flower pattern on the back as well.

Lavender's Dress: The sleeves and skirt were a light fabric that changed from red to purple to a deep blue and a little light pink thrown in. The sleeves and skirt were both billowing. The upper part of the dress was tighter and white, with fabric that gathered to a small stone of a deep purple-blue colour.

Hermione's Dress (What you really care about): Midnight blue, strapless, flowing to the floor, tight enough to show off her curves but not tight enough to be too tight around her stomach, which wasn't incredibly small and which she felt insecure about like most girls! There was a slit running up the skirt to reveal a pale, shimmering fabric, like the colour of shining pearls. Along the bodice and down along the slit in the fabric ran a length of small rhinestones that caught all different colours. The fabric gathered on the bodice at a small white brooch.

**The five of them** spent about an hour and a half doing their hair and makeup, helping each other out and giggling continuously. The only problem was discussing dates.

"Are you going with Dreamy Draco?" Parvati asked Hermione as she and Lavender sighed. Hannah, who was doing Lavender's hair, rolled her eyes. Hermione grinned at her before replying.

"No," she stated simply, reaching over to add a little eye shadow to Ginny's eyelids. The two girls gasped, and even Hannah looked interested. "I'm going with Blaise. Blaise Zabini."

"Love triangle!" Lavender squealed.

"Not really," Hermione replied in her most patient voice.

"What happened between you and Draco?" Hannah asked curiously. "I remember the night of the play…." She looked down at Lavender and Parvati, who were listening eagerly to her every word. Then she looked at Hermione, and, much to Hermione's relief and Ginny's approval, decided to end her sentence right then.

"We just…" Hermione sighed. "It's really hard to explain, and I'd rather not think about it. But I am most certainly not in love with Blaise," she said, looking at Lavender, who'd just opened her mouth to ask exactly that.

A half an hour later, the three were dressed, giggling, and excited as they trouped down the stairs to the doors of the Great Hall, where everyone was meeting their dates. Everyone, that is, except Hermione. Hermione was dressed, but she wasn't giggling and she wasn't particularly excited.

When she stood at the entrance to the Great Hall, she pondered over her predicament and her date. And that night in the Astronomy Tower….A few seconds later, two long arms wrapped around her waist. She drew in a breath, thinking it was Malfoy as remembering his arms around her waist the night of the play.

Then she heard Blaise's cold words cutting through the air around her ear. "Love the dress, really."

"Blaise," she hissed, plastering a fake grin on her face and instantly becoming stiff.

"Good to know you're happy to see me," he replied easily, slipping his arm into hers.

"Simply delighted," she replied, letting him lead her into the Great Hall.

"I'm going to talk to some of my friends," he said to her almost as soon as they'd entered. "I'll meet you over by the food table. Wait for me for our first dance. Please," he added thoughtfully, but it sounded more threatening than sincere.

Hermione stared after him, wondering why she still felt maddeningly attracted to him even though he was such an ass.

She stood by the food table for a few moments before reaching to grab a cup. She looked at the selection of drinks and poured herself some milk. She chugged it down in a very unladylike manner and set her cup back down on the table. "I'm drinking milk at a ball," she muttered to herself, scanning the room.

"I know," said a voice from behind her. "It is rather odd, isn't it? Would you like some more?"

Hermione spun around to find Malfoy behind her, cup in one hand and pitcher of milk in the other, a quizzical look on his face. She grinned. "Yes please."

He poured her another cup and then commented "Look Granger," he began, and Hermione waited with bated breath for his next words. "If there's no use crying over silt milk then there's no bloody use looking ecstatic over poured milk either."

**A/N: Chapter 14. As long as promised; sorry the update took forever. Hope you liked the dress descriptions….(MG, your dress is in there, as promised. Did you recognize the milk line as well?)**


	15. A Dance, A Kiss, A Walk, The End

"Malfoy!" Hermione gushed, surprising herself at her sudden good mood.

"Granger," he replied wryly, raising his eyebrows.

"I thought you hated me. Were going to hate me…" She stumbled over _her_ words.

"Well, I will if you don't go back to being the witty girl I know and love." He cringed as he said the last word.

"I won't read too much into that, Drakey Dear," she assured, rolling her eyes ever so slightly, and he grinned at her.

"A dance, then?"

"I've still got my milk," she said, raising the glass.

"Ah yes…" He began. "Your milk…" He gave her a perplexed look.

"I have no idea," she replied but drank it anyways. Just then, Blaise joined them.

"Hullo," he said jovially. "I see you've found my girlfriend."

"Date," Hermione corrected icily as Malfoy shot daggers at Blaise. "A date who you ditched, if I remember correctly."

"It wasn't ditching, per say…" Blaise said, smirking that infuriating, infamous Slytherin smirk. Malfoy smirked as he watched Hermione try to control her anger at that damn _smirk! _"Shall we dance?"

"Let's shall!" Hermione exclaimed with an obviously false perkiness and enthusiasm. Blaise smirked once more, and Hermione caught Malfoy's smirk at her reaction to Blaise's smirk. She glared at him. _It's an endless chain of smirks. Next time I'm attracted to someone, I'll make sure he doesn't smirk. EVER! _Hermione thought to herself as she and Blaise danced.

"Lovely dancing skills," Blaise remarked thoughtfully as they twirled around.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You do know the only reason I'm here with you is because you blackmailed me?"

"Is that it? Really?" He asked, raising his eyebrows and letting the smirk begin to slip back on to his face.

Hermione scowled. "Well, you are an awfully good kisser."

"Can I have that on paper?"

"But it's only for the kissing!" She replied hurriedly.

It was his turn to roll his eyes. Hermione gave it about a six on her scale… "You're only in it for the kissing as much as I'm only in it for the lip gloss."

"I refuse to reply to that." They finished dancing and Hermione returned angrily to her milk.

"Blasted blackmail," she muttered. Malfoy popped up behind her once again. "You've got to stop doing that."

"Sorry," he replied, trying not to smirk _too _much.

"We could just ignore it. And let him tell everyone."

"We could…" He looked doubtful. "But can you think of the rumours?"

"Are you even hearing yourself? After all the rumours that have been going on, and _now_ it matters?"

He grinned. "I remember you mentioning something about you being a monkey who loved boys' bananas in our last discussion about rumours."

"I was trying not to remember, thank you very much."

He gave a short laugh. "So, a dance?"

"If my date will allow it," Hermione said, and then marched over to Blaise. "Blaise, darling?"

"Yes Buttercup?"

She had to hand it to him. He had wit….Not as much as Malfoy, of course. "May I have a dance with Malfoy?"

Blaise's face darkened. "I suppose. But remember the blackmail…"

"Yes darling," she replied, then walked back over to Malfoy, grabbed his arm and walked on to the dance floor. He grinned down at her. "A big improvement on the smirk," she commented when she met his gaze.

"You know, sometimes you're too nice for your own good..."

"Well then, you'll have to teach me to be less nice, won't you Oh Evil One?"

"Are you sure?" He asked, looking solemn. "Once you turn evil there's no going back."

"I'm ready when you are."

"Well, to have an evil heart, you must be filled with anger to make you strong."

"Whatever you say, oh One Who Stalked Away From Me In The Astronomy Tower."

"You have to empty your heart of love and fill it with hate for the world."

"No offense, but maybe you should practice what you preach. Your heart doesn't exactly seem full of hate. And you're taking this way too seriously."

"Just listen. Hate is like meditation for the darker side of your soul."

"Darker side of my soul? What if I don't have a light one? Or a dark one? What if I'm having a lack-of-multiple-personalities-crisis? What do I do then?"

"Just try," he replied, rolling his eyes at her. (Definitely an 8.5 on her eye-roll scale.)

"I guess I can try," Hermione said, then pretended to concentrate.

"I know you can, you're smart."

"But what will my shrink say?"

"I didn't know you needed a shrink," a cold voice interrupted them. Blaise. "But I know what your boyfriend is saying."

"D-A-T-E," Hermione said. "And, frankly, I don't care what you say."

"B-L-A-C-K-M-A-I-L."

"Screw you," Malfoy cut in, clearly having lost his temper. "Go tell everyone; we couldn't care less." Blaise looked at him in shock, then grinned and strode away.

"What ever happened to 'Think of the rumours'?" Hermione asked as they began dancing once again.

He gave a nonchalant shrug. "Like they haven't devised more interesting stories than the one he's spreading."

"Well put," Hermione said. She looked at him thoughtfully. "Then why are you so fidgety?"

"My father…"

"Of course he would have to come in to this," Hermione said, pursing her lips in annoyance.

"How can you be just annoyed?" He asked in shock.

"Because he's simply an annoyance, if you don't mind me saying."

"It's not that I mind you saying, but he's not like a tiny bug buzzing in your ear, Granger. He's like a rather large dragon that you somehow fail to notice as he creeps up on you."

"Wonderful analogy, Malfoy."

"But my father Granger, that's-"

"Oh, please don't make me turn this into a Romeo and Juliet type story," Hermione said, exasperated.

"What?"

"That whole 'Deny thy father' sort of thing. I refuse to do it."

"Too mushy for you?" He asked, smirking down at her.

She glared up at him. "Damn smirk…"

"Anyways, do you see? Before what ever got back to him would have just been rumours. Now it's truth."

"But how does he know that?" Hermione asked, shaking her head slightly. "Does he trust Blaise more than his own son?"

"Probably," Malfoy responded bitterly.

"It's just another wild rumour in a sea of many," Hermione assured him.

"Thank you Obi-Wan," he replied, rolling his eyes. (A 9.3 on Hermione's scale.)

She looked at him in shock. "Obi-Wan?"

He looked sheepish. Maybe even blushed a little. "Um…."

"A Star Wars fan in a pure-blooded wizard who gave me hell about being muggle-born?" She raised her eyebrows and smirked at him.

"Now look who's smirking!" He exclaimed, and then continued. "And besides, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh really?"

"Yes," he replied firmly.

"How was the third movie?"

"Even better than the first two, the fight sce-" He broke off and glowered at her.

"You're too easy," she said, shaking her head and grinning.

He smirked once again. "Do you know how sexual that sounded?"

"Does everything relate to sex with you?"

"Haven't we been over this?"

"Does it?"

"If it did, we'd probably have a) slept together by now, or b) we wouldn't be dancing together, we'd be making out underneath the punch table."

"Valid point."

His face turned from serious back to smirking. "But it was pretty sexual…"

"Malfoy, please focus."

"On what?"

"Well," Hermione began, looking around the Great Hall, "For starters, the fact that everyone is staring at us."

"Oh," he said thoughtfully, following her gaze. "I see."

"Must be my ravishing beauty."

"I was going to say that."

"Uh-huh…" She said, shooting him a doubtful yet amused look.

"Well, fine. I was actually going to say that it was _my _good looks."

"That's what I thought."

"That's what I thought you thought."

"Don't even start," Hermione exclaimed, but she was smiling all the same.

"Let's dance over this way," he said, pulling a face and tugging her to the other side of the dance floor.

Hermione looked around at the people they were moving away from. "Why?"

"They're all-" He began, and then looked at her.

"They're all what?" She asked, tone icy. She looked back at the couples behind them. Realization dawned on her."Muggle-born, right?"

He looked at her, seeming upset at himself. Then he nodded slowly.

"You know, after all this, you're still an arrogant pureblood prick. I should have listened to everyone who told me it wouldn't ever work, that you weren't worth it and whatever it was we had was a figment of my over-active imagination. Comes from reading too many fairy tales," Hermione said, voice low and quiet, not even as dangerous and fearsome as she'd always been when she was angry. Then she began to walk away, back to Blaise, much to his disgust. He watched her back walk away, and then he walked carefully off the dance floor.

Twenty minutes later Hermione was standing by the food table, drinking some more milk. Blaise had spoken with her for a little while, gotten angry at her impudence and grabbed a veela-like girl to dance with for the rest of the evening. Despite this fact, Hermione still caught his eyes wandering back to her all too often. She smirked into her milk at the thought.

Suddenly, she felt a tug at the hem of her dress. Looking around, she bent down and lifted up the tablecloth. "Malfoy?"

"Granger." The blonde-haired boy looked up at her, smiling slightly.

"You know," she mused, "If I weren't hating you right now I'd think this was amusing."

"I was trying to steer clear of the usual 'Walking through the ground' cliché."

"A good idea, I'm sure."

"Join me?"

Hermione sighed, looked behind her, then ducked under the table with him. "My dress will get dirty."

"Do you really care?"

"No," she replied, grinning at him. Then her face turned serious. "I'm not going to forgive you as easily this time Malfoy."

He looked upset. "I know. I'm sorry, I just….It's drilled into my head."

"So why do you like kissing me so much?"

"Pure male instinct, I guess."

Hermione peered out of the cloth, then put her finger to her lips. He nodded in understanding.

"That Zabini guy says they've been sleeping together." The first voice said.

"No shit?" Asked the second voice in disbelief.

"No shit. I wonder how he would know?"

"Didn't he come with her?"

"Threesome then?"

"Merlin knows there's probably enough room in those private chambers of hers…." The voices trailed off as the click of shoes became fainter.

"Threesomes, huh?" Malfoy said, first to speak. He was smirking once again.

Hermione shot him a glare. "I believe you were apologizing, not thinking about sex."

"You know I'm always thinking about sex," he replied in mock disbelief. Then he leaned for ward, cupped her face, and kissed her long and hard. "That's the best apology I can give."

"You've never been one with words."

"I resent that."

"As you should."

"Another dance?"

"I suppose," Hermione replied as they slipped out from under the buffet table. They were incredibly inconspicuous about it, though how you can be inconspicuous while climbing out from under a buffet table is beyond me. "Threesomes, honestly….Like I'd ever sleep with you."

"But you'd sleep with Blaise?" He asked curiously as they began dancing once again.

"Maybe," she said nonchalantly, shrugging as best she could while twirling around.

"You are the funny one," he replied, shooting Blaise a death glare.

"I'd like to say he was the only thing standing between us…."

"But then there was the fact that you couldn't admit that you loved me."

"I don't love you," Hermione replied swiftly, instantly losing her joking manner. "I like you a lot, so much that I think it's not real at all, maybe just something for reality TV show-"

"What?"

"Never mind. The point is, I don't love you. I like you enough to ignore the rumours, but I refuse to buy into the 'star-crossed lovers' cliché."

"I never understood that term." She began to reply, but she had that know-it-all look in her eyes, so he cut her off. "And thanks, Miss-Walking-Talking-Encyclopedia, but I don't need to know."

She glared at him, but smiled all the same. "Anyways, it was you who couldn't admit your love for me."

"Love you? No, you're far too annoying and moody for me to actually _love _you. Strong liking, yes."

"Well, it's good that I've taken a strong liking to you as well then."

"Would you fancy a walk in the grounds, Hermione Granger?"

"I thought you wanted to avoid clichés?" She replied, looking at the doors.

"I know a great make out spot near some rose bushes."

"Don't be silly," Hermione replied, but took his arm and began tosteer him off the dance floor.

"There's a lilac bush closer to the Quidditch field."

"That's more like it, Draco Malfoy."

Blaise Zabini watched the two of them go with an icy glare, and brought the veela-girl to his bedroom that night. Harry and Ginny, who spent most of the ball hiding from Ron, watched them go with grins on their faces and another shared look. Ron shook his head at their flirty banter as they passed by him and continued to search for Harry and Ginny.

Hermione ended up being flown up to her window later that night, much to her terror, but the two of them continued to meet up in various places. And I'd like to say that it ended happily ever after, but you know real life doesn't work that way.

Especially between a Gryffindor and a Slytherin.

**A/N: Yes, it's finally over. That was the best ending I could come up with, and I'm sorry if you didn't like it. Many thanks to Monica7725, who's been around since the beginning. The same to kiss-of-cuteness, ****nightgodess,**** and a few others. (I just did a quick glance at my over-all reviews.) Thanks to everyone; could you, if you have time, tell me your favourite lines or scenes from this fic? Or just the past few chapters, if that's easier.**

**And thanks to MG, if she actually reads this, who had the privilege of nagging me in person. You could all thank her too, seeing as how she forced me to update faster…**


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